Catapult Fitness

Top Interval Training Workouts

2011-08-24T09:32:00.002-04:00

No big surprise to any regular Catapult Fitness Blog readers that I'm a huge interval training advocate.

Over the past couple of years I've explored different methods of interval training, many which I've shared on CFB. My personal faves include bodyweight intervals, treadmill sprints and the farmer's walk.

I was first introduced to Interval Training by Turbulence Training guru Craig Ballantyne. Craig has been a consistent source of new ideas for interval workouts which not only helps to keep me motivated, but continues to stress my body so that I'm able to see constant progress.

Here is my list of preferred ways to do your intervals, ranked in order from best to worst, based on my experiences…

1. Sprinting outdoors (and hills might be the absolute best)
2. Strongman movements (Farmer’s walks, tire flips, car pushing)
3. Bodyweight interval circuits
4. Treadmill running
5. Stationary cycle (upright preferred)
6. Stairclimber
7. Rower
8. Swimming (only works for competent swimmers)
9. Elliptical & Crosstrainer machines

Okay, so how long should you do intervals?

First, there is NO “best” interval training program – no best “sets and reps” for fat loss.

But that is good because it allows us to use variety in our approach. The best interval training method is simply the one that changes every 4 weeks.

Interval recommendations have ranged from 15 seconds (from Muscle Media waaaay back in the late 90’s), to 5 minutes (these are known as aerobic intervals). So let’s take a look at each interval recommendation and all those in between.

8 seconds on, 12 seconds off
This is the duration used by the Australian researchers in the now famous “intervals vs. cardio” study from 2007. The results found that intervals helped subjects lose belly fat, but cardio didn’t. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to replicate 8 seconds on, 12 seconds off using cardio equipment in your gym.

15 seconds
The great thing about 15 second intervals is that you’ll be able to work at a very high rate (almost near your maximum power output), as long as you get adequate recovery between work intervals. The downside is that it is very difficult to do 15 second intervals on machines, because it takes a long time to “build up” and “bring
down” the machine settings to the correct speed.

If you decide to use these short, high-intensity intervals, you should do so only if you already have an above average level of fitness. Your rest interval should be at least 15 seconds long, and can be as long as 60 seconds. The longer you rest, the harder you will be able to exercise in each interval.

20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
This method is known as the Tabata protocol, after the Japanese scientist that published a study on this routine. It is very demanding (obviously), and while some trainers have suggested this is the best method for interval training, there is NO proof that you will get better fat loss results.

Clearly, the pro’s with this method (as well as the 15 second intervals) is that you’ll get your workout done faster (provided you do the same number of intervals as any other workout). Again, it would be very difficult to perform this type of interval training on a machine, due to the time lag as you increase or decrease the settings. And finally, these too should only be performed by above average fitness levels.

30 seconds
The Turbulence Training workouts tend to use a lot of 30 second intervals. Beginners will rest up to 90 seconds between intervals, while advanced fitness levels will rest 30-60 seconds. The longer (relative) rest allows you to work harder in each successive interval (i.e. you’ll almost be able to match your performance in the first interval with each following interval). Short rest intervals (as in the Tabata protocol) will lead to a dramatic drop-off in performance with each interval. You can easily do the 3-second intervals on any machine.

I started using these with athletes back in the 90’s, and that is when I first realized they worked AWESOME for fat loss. Sure they don’t sound as exotic as Tabatas, but they work!

45 seconds
These intervals are proven for fat loss, in addition to being effective for many team sports (such as hockey, soccer, basketball, and rugby). I have used 45 second intervals extensively in both areas of training. Not only will these tax your muscles, they will also tax your will to complete each interval (if done at the right intensity). Use 45-90 seconds of recovery between intervals. Do 3-6 intervals per workout. Your fitness and fat loss will skyrocket.

60 second intervals
Similar to the 45 second intervals in benefits and toughness. Use 60-120 seconds of recovery between each.

120 second intervals
These are now officially aerobic intervals, and can be used for both fat loss and improving aerobic capacity for sports and running. A great way to achieve two fitness goals at once. Exercise for 2 minutes and then recover for 2 minutes. Repeat 6 times. These workouts take longer (obviously), but can have a role in changing your body and improving your performance.

3, 4, or 5 minute aerobic intervals
These have been used in a lot of strength-endurance studies, and also in a lot of soccer-training protocols. Same strategy as with the two minute intervals. This really increases your workout time, so these are only used with serious endurance athletes.

Beginner vs. Advanced
If you are thinking that these intervals all sound “too intense” for you, please don’t worry. Interval training is all relative. In fact, a recent study found that coronary-heart disease patients found interval training EASIER than cardio! You don’t have to sprint for your life in each type of interval.

Instead, just work at a slightly harder than normal pace. By the end of the interval, you should be getting tired, but you shouldn’t be gasping for air. Start conservatively and you will get the hang of it.

For example, if you regularly use level 5 on the stationary bike for 30 minutes continuously, you might try doing a 1 minute interval at level 7. Try that for an interval workout and let me know how it goes.

My favorite intervals for fat loss are between 30-60 seconds. These have been the staple intervals in my Turbulence Training workouts since the first workout was designed back in 2001. But again, I think you will get your best fat loss results if you vary your interval training workouts – just like you must vary your strength training workouts.

... of course, we're going to need to wait for the manual before we have access to the actual workouts. Nevertheless, great info.

For those of you itching to get started, you may want to check out the TT March 2009 March Madness Circuits which includes a 5-minute bodyweight interval training session and a timed bodyweight interval program.

Craig has several additional Interval Training specific programs that you can find via the Turbulence Training website. Just Click Here.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Hidden Cost Of Cheap Eats

2011-04-10T18:30:00.006-04:00

These are tough times and everyone is looking for a deal. When it comes to cheap eats, you don’t have to look far.

Despite gloomy economic conditions, the Fast Food industry is booming, growing at faster pace than it was growing before we entered a recession.

There’s no real surprise as to ‘why’. Fast food chains are practically giving food away with their dollar menu’s and $5 12-inch subs.

And if you’re thinking you want to go the organic route you may think again when you realize that organic food continues to cost on average several times more than its conventional counterparts.

The reality is, there are bargains to be had and Americans are spending a smaller and smaller portion of their incomes on food.

That may sound good, but at what cost are you paying for those ‘savings’?

As reported in Time Magazine, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a dollar could buy 1,200 calories of potato ships or 875 calories of soda but just 250 calories of vegetables or 170 calories of fresh fruit.

Given that, it's no surprise we're so fat; it simply costs too much to be thin.

Or does it?

In looking at research between 1960 and 2004, there is a clear indication that as Americans spend a smaller percentage of their incomes of food, there is a rise in both Obesity and Diabetes.

That's the health perspective. Now let us consider the economic impact of cheap eats.

In just 10 years, the US is expected to spend over $343 billion on health care costs that are attributable to obesity if rates continue to increase at their current levels.

In 2018, the cost of obesity at a national level is projected to be $1,425 per person, rising from $361 per adult today.

If you believe as I do that "you are what you eat", consider spending the extra money on your grocery bill today. It may save you a small fortune over the coming years.

If you have a different opinion, post it! The more we all discuss these issues, the more we will all benefit.

Train hard; stay strong; let me know what you think!

Peace.

Susan

Note: This blog posting is in loving memory of my beautiful mother, Alice, who passed away on 3/31/2011. My Mom suffered from Parkinson's disease - one of many debilitating inflammatory diseases that can potentially be avoided through proper nutrition.

TRX Wants You!

2011-03-29T12:39:00.004-04:00

If you haven't heard, TRX is giving away 5 Sponsorships in the month of April.

If you're looking for a helping hand in reaching your 2011 fitness goals, this is really an opportunity you should take advantage of.

This opportunity runs through 4/30/2011 and the Prize packages are as follows:

* $1,000 sponsorship to be applied towards event entry costs, travel, lodging and gear
* A TRX® Suspension Training® Pro Pack
* A new FLIP® camera, approximate retail value of $150, for the winner to share their goal progress and TRX training
* A customized TRX training program

You can find full details on how to enter HERE.

If you enter, let me know and I'll be happy to use my social network to help drive traffic to your video entry!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

WTF?

2011-03-25T11:07:00.003-04:00

It was 78 degrees last Friday, and Monday morning we had a snow storm.

Such is Springtime in New York.

In addition to the wacky weather, it's also the time of year when most of us start seriously thinking about the skimpy clothes we're going to be wearing in another couple of months.

We've been eating the right foods, hitting the gym and all too often ... not realizing the results we were hoping to achieve.

What the heck is going!?

Now's the time to take a look at 3 fat loss mistakes that I see over, and over, and over again.

The Big 3 Fat Loss Mistakes

Mistake 1: My (Not) Perfect Diet. The reality is, if you're not realizing positive results, you probably need to revisit your diet.

Be certain to start keeping a food journal (which means weighing and measuring everything you eat!), eat a serving of protein at every feeding opportunity, include 1 - 2 servings of vegetables with every meal, and stay well hydrated.

Mistake 2: The Same Old Routine. Hopefully you are one of those individuals who has really stuck to their exercise regime as we finish up the first quarter of 2011. You go to the gym or work out at home on a regular basis, and you're finding that it's no longer all that difficult to run a mile on the treadmill.

The reason that run on the treadmill is getting easier is because you're body is adapting. In order to continue to realize results, it's time to start mixing things up!

One of the reasons I'm a huge fan of Turbulence Training is due to the fact that Craig Ballantyne releases at least 1 new workout each month. Changing your workout every 4-weeks will keep your metabolism jacked up, resulting in the positive changes you're working so hard to achieve.

Mistake 3: Lack Of Intensity. This goes hand in hand with Mistake 2. If your body is used to your training routine - the exercises, sets and reps - you are not getting the best bang for your exercise time.

Let's go back to the treadmill example. You may find that all of a sudden you can easily run 1 mile - a task that seemed insurmountable at the end of last year. Now would be the perfect time to start adding interval training to your routine!

As another example, let's say that you've been squatting the same weight for the past month. Step it up! Your goal should be to increase the amount of weight you lift on a regular basis. This will help stress your muscles (in a good way) and you'll start to achieve that toned look you are hoping to achieve.

Obviously, you always want to train safely. However, if you are healthy and fit, and have your doctors approval to exercise, increasing intensity, changing variables and modifying your diet will help you blast through your fat loss plateaus.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Jimmy's 1993 ESPY Speech

2011-03-10T13:07:00.001-05:00

Whether or not you know who Jimmy Vilvano was, this speech will inspire you ...

Train hard; stay strong; live life to the fullest.

Peace.

Susan

Indoor Cycling Trainers - A Primer

2011-03-08T17:22:00.015-05:00

Those of you who know me know that I have been a cycling enthusiast for many years. Unfortunately, my vestibular problems makes it difficult for me to bike outdoors these days.

Rather than have my bike sit and collect dust, I'm heading in to purchase mode and considering an indoor bicycle trainer. I reached out to my blogging friend, and cycling enthusiast, Ron Fritzke for advice.

Lot's of good information and Ron has agreed to summarize it all for posting here on CFB.

To my fellow cycling enthusiasts, enjoy!

Which Bike Trainer Works For Your Style?

Although winter is winding down and it won't be long before we can resume exercising outside, we shouldn't forget a lesson that Old Man Winter teaches us every year ... staying fit from November until March presents a challenge.

For me, the proper use of an indoor bike trainer has been critical to maintaining enough conditioning to enable me to hit the ground running once the sun starts to prevail over the winter gloom.

But which type of trainer should you be looking for ... and what kinds of workouts are best suited for each type?

Fluid Trainers For Interval Workouts

Susan has written an excellent article on the benefits of interval training. Interval training has always been a mainstay in the competitive worlds of cycling and running, but as Susan points out, it's now being touted as an excellent way in which to shed extra pounds without putting in extra time exercising.

Interval training is defined by alternating intense bursts of activity with time periods of more moderate efforts.

The type of bike trainer that's most suitable for this valuable for of exercise is the fluid trainer. Of the three styles of trainers (mag trainers and wind trainers being the other two types), fluid trainers are the smoothest, the quietest and, most importantly, the 'strongest'.

A fluid trainer such as the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine can easily resist against 2000 watts of energy. For most sane people this 2000 watt figure is meaningless, but for rabid cycling fans it translates to the kind of power that the top sprinters are putting out at the end of Tour de France races.

And for you that means that a good fluid trainer is more than adequate for any hardcore workout you may have planned for yourself. That cannot be said for a wind trainer.

Here is what the lower end wind trainers are noted for ... inexpensive, simple, noisy, and weak.

We're all in favor of inexpensive and simple, but the noisiness and weakness make these trainers suitable for only mild to moderate 'steady-state' workouts. If you push them too much, they won't be able to 'grab' enough air to resist against your hard efforts, and they'll sound as unnerving as the roar of a hurricane.

They're fine for tooling along at a moderate pace (provided you don't live in close quarters, with noise sensitive people), but aren't adequate for a high intensity interval workout.

Mag (Magnetic) Trainers May Work

Falling somewhere between fluid trainers and wind trainers are mag trainers. This style can generate enough resistance for most cyclists, even when they're doing hard intervals.

However, there are a few reports of over-enthusiastic guys who've risen out of their saddles during a simulated sprint only to have the magnetic bonds in the power unit 'break free from each other'. When this occurs the rider suddenly has nothing to push against ... and the most inappropriate of their body parts crash down on the top bar of the bike.

This is good for a submission to "America's Funniest Home Video's", but has few other benefits.

Fluid Trainers For Universal Satisfaction

If you'd like to get a bike trainer that will be good for any application, go with a quality fluid trainer like the Cycleops Fluid 2. It will do anything you want it to do, but this type of trainer costs about $300.

You can save about a hundred dollars and purchase a CycleOps mag trainer for just under $200. For most riders, this style will fit the bill; just don't stand out of your saddle and sprint for all you're worth, or the value of your family jewels may depreciate (note from Susan: obviously, this doesn't pertain to all of us!).

For those who want to reduce their costs an additional $100, you can buy a wind trainer for a smidgen over $100. This style will enable you to tool along in front of your TV smartly, except that you'll have the volume of the tele at full throttle.

You can see where this decreasing increments of $100 is going. For those of you who don't want to spend anything at all on a bike trainer, you can dust off your bicycle in the Spring and go for a lovely ride in the type of weather that's suitable for cycling. But don't complain about getting left behind by those who have been exercising all Winter.

About The Author

Ron Fritzke is a cycling product reviewer with a passion for 'all things cycling'. A former 2:17 marathoner, he now directs his competitive efforts toward racing his bike ... and looking for good cycling products.

I want to point out that there is a wealth of additional information on both the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine and Cycleops Fluid 2 that can be found on Ron's site, Cycling-Review.com. If you're in the market for an indoor trainer, do the research up front so there's no buyers remorse down the road.

I'm a big fan in regards to purchasing quality equipment, as I do firmly believe you get what you pay for. With that said, at 125 lbs, my feeling is that the Kurt Kenetic Road Machine may be too much trainer for my particular needs, so I was initially leaning towards the Cycleops Fluid 2.

However, the Cycleops Fluid 2 is retailing right now for about $30 less than the Kurt Kenetic Road Machine, so it may be worth spending the extra $30 for the quieter ride.

Do your research and you're bound to end up with the right purchase for you.

If any CFB readers are currently using an indoor trainer, I would love the hear about it. Feel free to chime in with comments to this blog posting!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

A New Weight Loss Supplement: Water

2011-03-07T22:49:00.002-05:00

The Institute for Public Health and Water Research sponsored a study to determine whether pre-meal water consumption reduces the number of calories consumed by overweight, obese adults.

The subjects included 24 adults with a mean age of 61.3 years and a body mass index of 34.3. Subjects were provided a standardized breakfast on two randomly assigned occasions.

Thirty minutes prior to the meal, subjects were given either a 500-mL (approx. 17 oz) water pre-load or no pre-load.

The subjects who were given the water pre-load consumed 13% fewer calories compared with those subjects not given the water pre-load.

The calorie reduction was not associated with age, sex, body mass index or typical fluid intake, which means for older, obese adults, water may be a universal tactic for reducing calorie consumption at meals.

It should be noted that a previous study of non-obese adults saw a 60kcal reduction in calories consumed over breakfast for older adults (age 60 - 80 years), but no reduction in calories consumed by younger adults in that study (age 21 - 35 years).

More research needs to be conducted to determine the long-term impact of a water pre-load in older, obese adults, as potentially it is possible that subjects may become adapted to the water pre-load over time.

However, as Alan Aragon points out in his Research Review (www.alanaragon.com/researchreview), from this research one can hypothesize that that water can potentially be as effective and even more effective than popular weight loss supplements Ephedrine and Conjugated Linoleic Acid:

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Jillian Michaels DVD Winners!

2011-02-25T09:03:00.003-05:00

First and foremost, a big thanks to the 9 CFB readers who entered to win Jillian’s RIPPED IN 30 DVD. I wish that I had enough DVDs to send to each of you. I truly feel lucky to have loyal CFB readers, even though I find myself unable to post much these days.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A number was assigned to each of your names based on the order in which you entered this contest (e.g., Bree = 1; Shauna = 2; She who cooks = 3, et al).

And the winners are …

... Bree and Shauna.

Congratulations!

To claim your prize, email me at AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com. The subject line of that email should be JILLIAN DVD CONTEST. Please including your full name and postal address. I’ll get the DVDs out to you as soon as I can get to the post office.

And remember ...

In return for the DVD you agreed to provide me with a review of the DVD, including details on how you progressed through the different levels of the workout, whether or not you followed the meal plan, and your interpretation on the overall effectiveness of the program.

Reviews must be a minimum of 100 words, but should not exceed 500 words. Before and after photos are welcome, but not mandatory.

I cannot wait to hear your feedback and most of all, about the progress you make after doing this workout for 30-days!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Jillian Michaels DVD Giveaway

2011-02-18T09:32:00.004-05:00

Since launching Catapult Fitness Blog I've been extremely lucky in having the support of the Jillian Michaels team, and they once again have come to the table with some goodies for CFB readers.

Arriving in the mail this week were a few copies of Jillian's soon to be released DVD, Ripped in 30.

These DVDs literally just hit my doorstep, so I have not been able to give the workout a test drive just yet.

The premise of the workout is similar to Jillian's 30-Day Shred, which I do recommend for those of you working out at home and find yourselves needing some motivation (Jillian is one heck of a motivator!).

As far as I can tell, here is what you get with Ripped in 30:

- 4 workouts, 24 minutes each. These are interval training sessions so you'll be working your butt off for those 24 minutes!

- Each workout consists of cardio, strength training and abs

- A free, 30-day online meal plan which I'm assuming translates in to a free 30-day membership to Jillian Michaels Online (again, this is just an assumption on my part, but it would make sense).

Now, here's the giveaway details ...

Two (2) CFB Readers will be selected at random to receive a free copy of this DVD (still in the shrinkwrap!)*.

In return for the DVD I ask that you provide me with a review of the DVD, including details on how you progressed through the different levels of the workout, whether or not you followed the meal plan, and your interpretation on the overall effectiveness of the program.

Reviews must be a minimum of 100 words, but should not exceed 500 words. Before and after photos are welcome, but not mandatory.

Entering this contest gives me authorization to post your review here on Catapult Fitness Blog.

To enter, simply post a comment on this posting telling me that you're interested in entering.

This contest is open from Friday, February 18, 2011 through 11:59 pm ET, Thursday, February 24, 2011. Winners will be announced on Friday, February 25, 2011 so keep an eye out for your name in next Friday's blog posting!

* U.S. and Canadian residents, age 18+ are eligible for this sweepstakes.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Big 3

2011-02-13T21:45:00.003-05:00

It's been a brutal winter here in the Northeast, but as cold and snowy as it is outside now, spring is just 5-weeks away!

That's right. Before you know it we will be shedding our winter clothes and it will once again be time to show some skin.

For me that means it's time to focus on what I consider the Big 3 training protocols to ensure I'm looking good once it's time to shed the winter clothes ...

1. Interval Training. Research study after research study supports the fact that interval training incinerates fat faster than constant, moderate physical activity. And remember, interval training is not limited to the treadmill! If you need some tips on putting together an interval training program check out the Maximize Your Gym Time posting.

2. Bodyweight Strength Training. No gym equipment, no problem! Pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, bodyweight squats, and walking lunges will not only crank up your heart rate, but will enable you to realize tremendous strength gains.

3. Explosive Movements. For those of you training at a intermediate or advanced level, consider adding explosive movements such as Kettlebell swings, jump squats and burpees to your program. They will help you to generate both power and strength, and take your training program to the next level.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Foods That Heal Your Aches And Pains

2011-02-12T17:02:00.001-05:00

Can eating spinach help to heal a stress fracture? Yes, it can!

We all have read articles on how nutrition can help reverse inflammatory diseases (heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, arthritis, et al) but truth is, what we eat can speed our recovery when it comes to injuries such as stress fractures, sprains, tendinitis and even muscle soreness.

If you find yourself with an injury, below are some tasty remedies to help speed your recovery, including some terrific recipe ideas from Roni over at Green Lite Bites!

Injury: Stress Fracture
Foods That Heal: Low-fat milk, spinach, yogurt, collard greens, basil, kale, shrimp, sardines
The Science: The combination of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K speeds up bone formation to help repair fracture.

Check out Roni's recipe for Spinach Ricotta Roll's

Injury: Sprain
Foods That Heal: Bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, raspberries
The Science: Vitamin C encourages collagen formation which is crucial for rebuilding injured ligaments.

Check out Roni's recipe for Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Salad

Injury: Tendinitis
Foods That Heal: Salmon, scallops, sardines, shrimp, cod, walnuts, flaxseeds
The Science: Polyunsaturated fats such as those found in fish and nuts help reduce inflammation

Check out Roni's recipe for Oat and Flax Crusted Tilapia

Injury: Muscle Soreness
Foods That Heal: Whole grains, lentils, cod shrimp, turkey, salmon, yogurt, eggs, peanut butter
The Science: Carbs help to restore energy and protein helps repair the damaged muscle fibers

Grab yourself a post-workout shake or peanut butter on a slice of Ezekiel bread to help ward off DOMS!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

R.I.P. Jack LaLanne

2011-01-25T14:22:00.003-05:00

My earliest memory of Jack LaLanne was watching episodes in the morning of the Jack LaLanne Show in black & white as a little kid. This was well before there were hundreds of channels to choose from, and if nothing else, the man was amusing.

I recall watching this overly enthusiastic middle age man in a jumpsuit jumping up and down and thinking, "how silly."

Until Jack's passing yesterday at the ripe young age of 96, that was about all I thought of Jack LaLanne.

Just goes to show how first impressions can be misleading.

Thanks to widespread news coverage of Jack's passing, I now know just how ahead of his time this fitness icon actually was. A few of his notable achievements include

- Opening the nation's first modern day health club in 1936.

- Becoming an early advocate of strength training for women, the elderly, disabled and (get ready for this one) athletes. Before Jack LaLanne athletes typically avoided strength training as it was thought they would become muscle bound!

- Inventing the forerunners of modern exercise machines, including pulley devices.

He brought fitness to the masses with the advent of TV, well before ExerciseTV and DVDs were around.

“I can’t die,” Jack LaLanne most famously liked to say. “It would ruin my image.”

Not at all Jack, not at all.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Agility Training

2011-01-07T18:15:00.002-05:00

Perhaps it's the fact that she won 2 medal's at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, including the first ever downhill gold for an American woman. Or maybe it's the fact that she is currently defending her 3 previous World Cup titles.

Any way you cut it, Lindsey Vonn is one heck of an athlete and I've been digging deep to learn some of her training secrets.

What I discovered was that to increase her odds in defending her World Cup title in 2011, Vonn made the decision to focus on improving her agility in the off-season.

Has it made a difference? Check out this video of Vonn racing at Lake Louise, Canada this past December (watch what happens at the :50 mark!):

That's pretty darn incredible and at the time, put Lindsey back in first place in the World Cup standings.

Vonn credits this instantaneous physical response to a new training regimen this past offseason.

According to an interview Vonn recently did with Wired.com, she didn’t change the bulk of her endurance program: a regimen of core workouts, weight-lifting, and cycling that has made her one of the fittest racers on tour. But at the U.S. Olympic Training Center near San Diego this summer, she added a routine of agility exercises like cone drills, knee-high hurdles, and agility ladders, which encompass a horizontal circuit divided like a ladder and you step between the “rungs.”

So, what exactly is the focus of agility training?

By definition, agility is the ability to decelerate, accelerate, and change direction while maintaining good body control and without losing time (speed) in the transition. With the exception of skills specific to the sport, agility can be the primary determining factor to predict success in a sport.

The key components in agility training are:

- Body control and awareness
- Recognition and reaction
- Starting and first step
- Acceleration
- Footwork
- Change of direction
- Stopping

Since all of these involve development of motor skills, our bodies can be trained in each of these areas.

Example exercises can be found in a free PDF download from the NASM that you can find HERE.

The lesson to be learned is that we should continually be modifying our training protocols to reap maximum benefits. What I especially like about agility training is the flavor it adds to any workout program and the fact that you can perform agility drills just about anywhere.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

"Lighten Up" In 2011

2011-01-01T11:35:00.006-05:00

Millions of folks start every year making resolutions to change something in their life they’re unhappy about.

Twenty-three percent of them will break those resolutions within a week and 45% by the end of the month.

Personally, I’m not a fan of resolutions. I’m a much bigger fan of evolution – the process of change and progressive growth.

Most New Year’s resolutions are pretty life encompassing. I mean, the bigger, the better, right? Well, that in and of itself may just be the problem and my advice is to lighten up on how you set goals to better position yourself for success.

Whether your goal this year is to lose weight, get out of debt, or get a new job, put a game plan in place that breaks these goals in to smaller steps.

For example, if your goal is to lose 25 lbs in 2011, smaller steps that will help you achieve this goal would be

- Download, read and re-vamp your cupboard and fridge based on Dr. John Berardi's advice in the free PDF eBook you can find in the CFB posting, What's In Your Pantry?

- Start a food journal

- Make sure to eat a serving of lean protein at every feeding opportunity

- Make certain to eat 1 - 2 servings of vegetables at each feeding opportunity

- Try one of the dozens of free Turbulence Training workouts found throughout Catapult Fitness Blog

Again, small steps that do not all need to be accomplished at one time. Be certain to celebrate your milestones and reward yourself along the way for each step achieved (not with something that will negatively impact the goal you're trying to achieve!).

And remember, occasional lapses in your plan are not failures, but rather temporary setbacks.

And if you don't end the year achieving your goal? Celebrate what you learned along the way because chances are, you'll be ending the year having successfully achieved many of those smaller goals you set along the way!

Train hard; stay strong; celebrate life's accomplishments.

Peace.

Susan

The New Rules Of Lifting For Abs

2010-12-29T17:00:00.003-05:00

Was reading my buddy Craig's blog today and came across a blurb he wrote on Alwyn Cosgrove and Lou Schuler's new book The New Rules of Lifting for Abs: A Myth-Busting Fitness Plan for Men and Women Who Want a Strong Core and a Pain-Free Back.

This couldn't be more timely being that I'm on my ab routine soap-box!

Exercises in the book include the likes of

- Front Plank plus Cable Pulldown
- Side Plank plus Cable Row
- Cross Body Mountain Climber
- Inchworm or Stability Ball Rollout
- Side Plank with Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Not a sit up or crunch in site! May be a good stocking stuffer next year for any doubters :)

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Just Say No To Sit-Ups And Crunches

2010-12-28T19:57:00.006-05:00

While out to dinner with family and friends Christmas Eve, the conversation turned to exercise. Specifically, abdominal exercises.

I attempted to share my opinion on why sit-ups and crunches are not optimal abdominal exercises but the consensus was that I didn't know what I was talking about. As I was told (and yes, this is a quote from the dinner table), "listen to me, I've been doing them (read: sit-ups and crunches) for years."

If nothing else, the conversation has made me very enthusiastic about digging in to all the ugly details on sit-ups and crunches and sharing them here on CFB!

I'll preface this by stating that there is no shortage of research suggesting that sit-ups and crunches are effective in building abdominal strength (although there is a study that contradicts this theory!). Then again, my argument is not narrowly focused on simply whether or not they are effective but rather, are they

1) Safe and,
2) The most effective exercises of choice?

The Ouch Factor

Rarely do you see a person complete just 1 sit-up. The goal is to typically shoot for the moon to see just how many sit-ups you can complete at one time (100, 250, 500?). And there lies the problem as repetitive motions have been shown to be the major factor in disc herniations, with full lumbar flexion (rounding of the lower back) being the major player.

According to Stuart McGill, a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada), and one of the foremost experts on the lumbar spine in the world, it doesn't matter whether you are performing full sit-ups or crunch versions. "What happens when you perform a sit-up?" he asks. "The spine is flexed into the position at which it damages sooner."

According to his research, a crunch or traditional sit-up generates at least 3,350 newtons (the equivalent of 748 lbs) of compressive force on the spine. The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health states that anything above 3,300 newtons is unsafe.

Another kicker? This type of overload on the abs may not even be effective (read on for the details!).

Risk - Reward

There are some who may argue the "No Pain, No Gain" mantra. My interpretation of this aphorism is that in order to grow we must leave our comfort zone. it doesn't mean that in order to realize gains you need to risk injury!

Trust me, if your goal is to strengthen your core there are plenty of exercises other than sit-ups and crunches that will effectively accomplish this without risking a herniated disk.

Now, here's that kicker I promised you.

Research out of Youngstown State University in Ohio was published in the October 2009 edition of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. That study tested the effects of sit-ups on 71 men and women who were split up in to 3 groups. The control group did no sit-ups. The other 2 groups performed three sets of 20 repetitions (30 seconds rest between sets) of three distinct ab exercises for 11 weeks.

Group 1 performed the sit-ups 3x/week on non-consecutive days and Group 2 trained the abs 6 days per week. The ab exercises increased in difficulty every 4 weeks and speed was regulated by a metronome.

The results surprised even the researchers. NONE of the 3 groups of exercisers demonstrated any strength gains. Nor did they reduce their waist circumference or percentage of body fat.

McGill suggests replacing sit-ups with exercises to strengthen the core while not bending the spine. Sample exercises include bridges, planks, bird dogs and "stir the pot" (this is a complex movement: moving shoulders in a small circle while in a prone push-up position with forearms balanced on an exercise ball).

Apparently, the U.S. Army has been listening to McGill.

One of the key components of the U.S. Army's physical fitness test is a 2 minute sit-up test. To prepare for this testing, army recruits will typically incorporate the sit-up in to their daily training protocol.

Due to the research indication that traditional sit-ups (and variations) may have negative effects on lower back health, the Army initiative the Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military Clinical Trial (PLBPMCT). The study sought to find if using core exercises versus traditional exercises had any impact on the 2 minute sit-up test.

The PMBMPCT involved 1,467 soldiers (mean age of ~ 21 years; 73% male; 27% female) amongst 12 Army companies. Each company was assigned to complete either sit-up or core training for 5 minutes per day, 4 days per week.

Those performing the sit-up workout followed these exercises:

1. Sit-ups
2. Sit-ups with left trunk rotation
3. Sit-ups with right trunk rotation
4. abdominal crunch5. sit-ups

Those performing the core workout followed these exercises:

1. Abdominal "draw-in" crunch
2. Left and right side planks
3. Wood choppers
4. Glute bridges5. Bird dog

This exercise routine was followed for a total of 12 weeks after which participants performed the 2 minute sit-up test. At the completion of the study final test scores were compared to test stores obtained just prior to starting the 12 week training program. The final results indicated that core training was just as effective as traditional sit-up programs at improving performance in the 2 minute sit-up test.

Conclusion

There are many reasons to exercise your core. If your goal is to find your "six-pack", your time and effort would be better spent on fine tuning your diet. However, if you're looking to increase athletic performance and mitigate lower back injury, core exercises will surely benefit you.

As for 'the best' core exercises? As always, exercise selection should be geared towards the individual.

With that said, it seems that the exercise ball may just be your best friend when it comes to an effective ab workout.

According to the Oct 2009 study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, muscle activity was much greater when exercises were performed on a Swiss ball in comparison to a stable surface.

The exercise ball consistently had significantly more rectus activation than the vurl-up on the floor. The chart below provides the percent of maximal contractions of each portion of the abdominals during each exercise:

Train hard; stay strong; stay injury free!

Peace.

Susan

10th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest

2010-12-21T15:02:00.003-05:00

Big news in that the 10th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest is scheduled to start 12/26/2010 and we have a CFB reader who will be entering!

I'm extremely excited to have the opportunity to work once again with a TT Transformation contestant and hope you will all root her on!

Check back right after the Christmas holiday to read the details. It should be a fun ride.

If you're interested in entering this 12-week contest, check out the details HERE. If you're worried about committing to a full 12-weeks, there is also a mini 6-week contest available.

Prizes are as follows:

For the 6-Week Mini-Contest:

There will be a male category and female category. Each category will reward the following prizes.

1st Place Grand Prize - $500 plus a 3-Year Platinum TT Membership

2nd Place - $250 plus a 2-Year Platinum TT Membership

3rd Place - $150 plus a 1-Year Platinum TT Membership

For the 12-Week Transformation Contest:

There will be four categories:

Men Under 40
Men Over 40
Women Under 40
Women Over 40

Each category will reward the following prizes.

1st Place Grand Prize - $1000 plus a 3-Year Platinum TT Membership

2nd Place - $500 plus a 2-Year Platinum TT Membership

3rd Place - $250 plus a 1-Year Platinum TT Membership

Of course the greatest prize of all is the gift of health and fitness.

Train hard; stay strong and to those celebrating, a very Merry Christmas!

Peace.

Susan

Turbulence Training - Best Of 2010

2010-12-20T09:35:00.002-05:00

The results are in!

According to Craig Ballantyne's recent Turbulence Training reader's poll, the most popular TT workouts of 2010 are:

a) TT Hard-core 2K10 - voted best fat burning workout
b) TT Resistance Evil - voted most difficult workout
c) TT Bodyweight Cardio 3 - voted best bodyweight & conditioning workout

Craig apparently is in a very jolly mood as he has slashed the prices of these and all 2010 individual TT Workouts by 67% this week!

That means that each 2010 individual workout is available for just $9.95. For a little perspective, that's about the price of 3 Starbuck's Tall fancy-schmancy coffee's. One will have you heading in to 2011 fit, the other, not so much.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace to all this holiday season!

Susan

Ask The Trainer

2010-12-08T09:07:00.004-05:00

I have gotten behind in checking my Ask The Trainer emails the past few weeks as like many of you, I've gotten wrapped up in the holiday season.

With holiday parties, shopping, and work deadlines filling your schedule this month, many of you are in need of short, burst workouts to help you stick to your fat burning schedule.

Fortunately, you can get an amazing workout in at home to stay in shape over the holidays...even if you only have 15 minutes to exercise a few days per week.

That's the great news about short, burst workouts...a little bit of effort now has been proven by scientists to be just as effective - and even better - for fat loss and fitness results.

Here are just a few at-home workout ideas to get you started:.

Top 10 At-Home Fat Burning Workouts

1. Use the first superset of your favorite Turbulence Training workout and do as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes. Why? Because the first superset always contains the most effective exercises.

Craig Ballantyne has given me permission to provide CFB readers with a FREE copy of the terrific HOTZONE workout. Just click HERE for your free downloadable copy.

2. "30 seconds on, 30 seconds off" doing kettlebell swings. No kettlebell? No problem. You can use a dumbbell or even a gallon of milk! Bet you didn't know that a gallon jug of milk weighs about 8 1/2 lbs!

3. Burpees. Just keep doing them. Absolutely killer.

4. Kettlebell Exercises Paired With TRX Exercises. Ok, this involves owning a LOT of equipment and having a lot of space, but if you have these tools you should have no problem getting in a killer workout in 15 minutes.

5. TT Bodyweight Cardio Workouts (that don't require any equipment at all). There are numerous examples of TT Bodyweight Cardio Workouts throughout CFB! A fun one is the Winter Olympic Style Workout posted back in February.

6. Intervals supersetted with ab exercises like planks or side planks (which are made harder by the high breathing rate).

7. Bodyweight Challenges - Like the Bodyweight Cardio 1000 (Challenge type workouts get you hooked on exercise and prevent you from skipping workouts). If you don't own this particular TT workout, check out a modified version is posted HERE.

8. DB-BW Fusion Workouts - Pair a dumbbell exercise and bodyweight exercise together in a superset and go back and forth as many times as possible in 10 minutes.

9. Hybrid Triset Workouts - 3 exercises performed in a tri-set, using one dumbbell exercise, one bodyweight exercise, and one kettlebell or stability ball exercise. Requires just a little equipment, but work great!

10. Adrenaline Circuits - Combining bodyweight exercises and short, burst adrenaline style interval training methods. Adrenaline intervals are covered in the 31 Interval Workouts manual which is available to TT Platinum Members. I'm sorry that Craig hasn't made this workout available yet as a single workout purchase as it's pretty awesome. In the meantime, check out the FREE TT Interval Report available for download HERE.

There's a little something for everyone here. Don't think because you cannot make it to the gym for an hour 3 or 4 times/week that you cannot keep in shape this holiday season. I promise you that you can!

If you give any of these a try, let me know how they work out for you!

Thanks as always for the questions and keep them coming by emailing me at AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Evolution Of Video Fitness Games?

2010-12-06T11:00:00.012-05:00

A CFB reader brought EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp
to my attention this weekend, asking my opinion.

Honestly, I’ve never heard of the game until now but after reading the early reviews on Amazon, it does look promising.

According to the EA Sports Website

EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp is a football-based training program that puts you right into the training drills and workouts of the real NFL Training Camp.

Developed in collaboration with NFL strength and conditioning coaches, users will experience the thrill of competition while challenging friends and family in authentic NFL football drills with real NFL players.

EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp includes over 70 drills and eight challenges designed to improve strength, power, balance and agility, the key areas NFL players focus on. Choose your favorite team, step into their stadium and work alongside your favorite players to improve your performance.

EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp with Total Body Tracking uses the included heart rate monitor and wireless motion tracking to provide a challenging workout and help deliver measurable results. It will link to the EA SPORTS Active online hub where users can share training results and challenge others to beat their personal best, as well as track progress toward specific fitness goals.

See more Game Videos at EA.com.

Conceptually, I really like the idea of seeing the Wii exercise games include sports specific training options. If you like the particular sport it is certainly easy to see how this can be engaging and based on the preview, it looks as if it can be a decent workout.

The options for rolling out additional sports specific workouts seem limitless and it will be interesting to see how the gaming manufacturers take the gaming equipment to the next level.

If anyone has this game, would love to hear your thoughts on the quality of the workout.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Holiday Brew Ha Ha

2010-12-05T11:39:00.000-05:00

It's fine to enjoy a drink or two at your holiday party, but you don't want to destroy all the hard work you put in at the gym this past year.

Champagne, wine, light beer and cocktails that use mixers such as tonic water and seltzer are your best ab-friendly choices as they're lower in carbs than regular beer and frozen/sugary mixed drinks:

If you are going to drink alcohol here are a few guidelines:

- Moderation, moderation, moderation. Keep in mind that alcohol drains the body's stores of vitamins and nutrients and actually slows the absorption rate and retention of new nutrients. Plus, who really enjoys the next day hangover?

- Drink plenty of water. Alcohol dehydrates the body. If you're going to have that light beer, have an 8 oz glass of water before and after and make sure to consume plenty of water before turning in for the night.

- Stay away from sugary mixers. The numbers above for the LI Iced Tea and Pina Colada speak for themselves.

- Set limits. Setting limits and knowing what you will consume beforehand empowers you to make healthy and smart choices. And no, you're not allowed to save up all your calories during the day for an all night alcohol binge!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Gear Review - The Rotater

2010-12-02T20:13:00.006-05:00

I receive a fair amount of outreach from various manufacturers asking if I can review their product on CFB.

Many of these requests are immediate disregarded as the manufacturers request a positive review, which I can never guarantee. Then there are the multitude of requests for products that I simply do not feel are all that relevant to the CFB audience. Those are politely declined.

Happily, every now and then I receive a request to review a product that I really find intriguing, with no strings attached. The Rotater by Joint Mechanix is one such product.

The concept behind The Rotater is that it allows you to passively self-stretch internal and external should rotation to increase shoulder function, range of motion and performance. The website goes on to explain that The Rotater duplicates the shoulder stretches manually applied by a physical therapist or athletic trainer. As you use The Rotater, you will increase the flexibility and range of motion (ROM) of your shoulder joint.

The package I received contained

The Rotater (mine was orange)
Velcro Wrist Strap
Strongarm Attachment (medium resistance tubing)
Plastic Handle for Strongarm Attachment
Instructional DVD
Instruction Sheet

Quite honestly, when I first opened the box I wasn't wowed. The Rotater itself is made of a heavy plastic and as a total package the components are fairly simplistic. With that said, the beauty of The Rotater is in its simplicity.

As a tool for static stretching, The Rotater absolutely accomplishes what it sets out to do. After completing both the internal and external rotation exercises it was easy to see how The Rotater effectively places the elbow and shoulder in such a position as to ensure a maximal stretch with proper form -- mitigating the chance of injury.

To Stretch, Or Not To Stretch

The topic of static stretching as part of a warm-up routine has been addressed more than once here on CFB (most recently, in May 2010).

While I personally do not incorporate static stretching as part if my warm-up, I do feel there is a place for it in anyone's health routine. And, if you're recovering from injury, there is substantial research supporting the use of static stretching during rehabilitation as a means for shortening the period of time of regaining normal range of motion (ROM).

Final Words

I haven't had The Rotater long enough to benefit from the strengthening exercises you are able to accomplish using the strongarm attachment. I'll leave that review for another time.

However, as a stretching tool The Rotater has definitely alleviated a few tight spots I had in my left shoulder, making my Clubbell workouts much more effective this past week.

I want to thank Chris Melton at Joint Mechanix for sending me The Rotater to evaluate for CFB readers. Great job Chris! I would recommend The Rotater without any reservations.

Note: If you’re suffering from an injury you should always follow the instructions of your own doctor and physical therapist, as they will put you on a rehab program specific to your shoulder problem and your fitness level.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Gift(s) That Keep Giving

2010-11-30T18:44:00.002-05:00

With the average cost of a gym membership hovering around $50 per month along with hefty initiation fees, the nationwide median cost for a new gym member is around $800/year.

That's a lot of cash to be putting out in these times.

If you are the type of individual who can self motivate yourself, consider investing in a few key pieces of equipment or, better yet, put some of your 'must haves' on your holiday wish list and perhaps Santa and Hanukah Harry will help root you on to a healthy and fit 2011!

You can put together a killer at-home gym (for you, or someone you love!) at your disposal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you think you cannot get a killer workout in at home, give this a try ...

The CFB 400 Basement (or Backyard) Workout

100 Yard Farmers Walk. 100 yards is equivalent to 300 feet, so plot out a path and you're good to go. I grab my dumbbells and head down to the basement in my apartment building for my Farmers Walk, but this can easily be accomplished using a backyard or driveway.

WARNING: Neighbors may smirk at you while they're sitting on their couches stuffing their mouths with chips and beer. It's all good.

What you'll need: Women - Two 25 lb dumbbells; Men - Two 50 lb dumbbells

If you don't already have dumbbells at home, consider an adjustable dumbbell set. If you're looking for a set that goes up to 40 lbs, you can't beat this deal for under $41 (includes shipping!) - Cap Barbell 40-Pound Dumbbell Set.

There are some very fancy options on the market (PowerBlock, Bowflex) in the $300 - $350 price range that may better meet the needs of those looking for 50 lb dumbbell sets. You may want to consider going with the 40 lb Cap set and looking to pick up 50 lb plates or dumbbells at a local flea market, Craig's list or a local sporting goods store.

100 Step-ups (50 per leg). I use my 18" weight bench for step-ups, but you should start out with a height that is comfortable for you.

What you'll need: Something to step-up on to. If you don't have a weight bench or step, consider a plyo box. There are several good options available through Amazon - Plyo Boxes

100 Yard Power Wheel Crawl. Ok, truth be told, unless you've been working your core for a while, it's unlikely you'll start out with 100 yards. It makes no matter. Start using the Lifeline USA Power Wheel IIand build your way up to 100 yards.

What you'll need: A Power Wheel. Free shipping is available through Amazon, so all in the Power Wheel will cost you $58.11.

Jump Rope. 100 jumps.

What you'll need: A jump rope. Any jump rope will do. If you're placing an Amazon offer, you can pick one up for as little as $7.69 - Valeo Deluxe Speed Jump Rope

Complete each exercise and move immediately to the next exercise. Complete a total of 4 sets as quickly as possible. Be certain to time yourself and work on beating your time each time you do this workout.

Train hard; stay strong, and consider giving (and receiving) the gift of fitness this holiday season!

Peace.

Susan

Maximize Your Gym Time

2010-11-28T15:48:00.008-05:00

'Tis the season to find yourself shopping, cooking, baking, and partying. Gym time will be at a premium, so make certain to maximize that time following these 3 simple rules:

1) Have a Plan. With all of those other activities it's easy to find yourself missing a workout or two (or three, or four) along the way. Guess what? The more workouts you miss, the more pounds you are likely to pack on.

Staying on top of your training routine will take some planning and serious time management skills.

What works for me is keeping a printed calendar of all of my workouts for the month. I actually plan the time of day I will be working out and jot that on the calendar so that I can make certain not to schedule a conflicting event.

It's important to be detailed. 'Winging' it is when we get ourselves in to trouble - especially this month when there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done.

2) Turn Up The Volume With Interval Training. There was a time not too long ago that interval training was used solely in conjunction with cardio workouts such as cycling, running and rowing. Well, no more!

Interval training consisting of short bursts of intensive effort interspersed with more moderate stretches not only improves cardiovascular fitness but helps to burn more body fat.

Here are three ideas for interval training workouts you can start today - no treadmill required.

a. Bodyweight Intervals

When putting together a bodyweight cardio circuit consider:

a) A fast, dynamic bodyweight exercise
b) A total bodyweight warm-up exercise
c) An easy push-up (kneeling is ok if you are a beginner)
d) A single leg exercise
e) An upper back exercise
f) Another single leg exercise
g) A total body core exercise
h) Another total boy, fast paced, dynamic exercise

Do this a 1 giant circuit with no rest between exercises. Rest 1 minute at the end of the circuit and go through the circuit 1 - 3 more times, depending on your level of fitness.

My interval workout for today is a modified version of the Week 1 Turbulence Training Bodyweight 1000/Bodyweight Challlenge Workout:

30 Jumping Jacks
40 Squats
10 Push-ups
20 Walking Lunges (10 reps per side)
10 Assisted Pull-ups
25 Bulgarian Squats
Plank (2 minutes)
25 Mountain Climbers

b. Tabata Dumbbell Intervals

I can already hear the moans and groans from those of you familiar with Tabata intervals. They're killer (limit Tabata's to 2x/week). Then again, they're also highly effective.

For those of you not familiar with Dr. Tabata's work, his research concluded that 8 sets of 20-second work intervals (at maximum intensity), alternating with 10-second rest intervals are most effective for improving VO2 max.

To perform a Tabata interval workout using dumbbells, we're going to focus on an exercise that incorporates a large number of muscles -- the dumbbell squat-press.

Unless you have a Gymboss or another interval timer, you will need the ability to see a wall clock with a second hand while performing this exercise.

Here's what you do:

- Perform as many reps as you can for 20-seconds. Work at maximum intensity.
- Rest for 10-seconds
- Repeat 7 more times
- Be kind as you're cursing me under your breathe (what you have left of it!)

c. Shuttle Runs

For those running fools out there, try getting off the treadmill and giving shuttle runs a try!

Anyone who has been on a soccer or basketball team has likely performed shuttle run drills. To perform the exercise:

- Set up markers (such cones or tape) 25 yards apart
- Sprint from one market to the other and back. That's one rep.
- Do 6 reps as fast as you can (300 yards total)
- Time your results for the entire 6 reps
- Rest 5 minutes
- Repeat the drill
- Add the times for both drills together and divide by 2 to get your average time
- Work to beat that time your next session!

So that you have a goal to shoot for, according to the US Military Academy, West Point, the top West Point men score 52 seconds and the women score 58 seconds. Their maximum acceptable time is 65 seconds for men and 79 seconds for women.

Regardless of your results, I guarantee this drill will help to increase your endurance, speed and overall quickness and of course, it will give you one heck of a workout.

3) Get Pumped. Dollars to donuts, strength training will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Over the course of any given day, 60 - 70% of the calories we burn is based on our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). The more lean muscle mass we have, the higher our RMR. If you have limited time to exercise, consider a strength training routine utilizing Supersets and integrating your ab workout during your 'rest' period between sets.

Note: Make certain to have your physician's approval before beginning an interval training program, or any exercise program.

Note 2: CFB is an affiliate for both Turbulence Training and the Gymboss Interval timer. You can find more information on these products and CFBs affiliation with them here.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Stay Focused And Fit This Holiday Season

2010-11-18T10:51:00.000-05:00

As we enter in to the holiday season you will likely find yourself over-committed with office functions, family dinners, holiday shopping, and the typical end of year revelry.

It’s difficult enough to find time to prepare healthy meals and get to the gym the other 11 months out of the year. Between Thanksgiving and New Years it seems nearly impossible.

Now more than ever, you need to prioritize. First and foremost, be realistic in regards to your fat loss efforts. Rather than focusing on weight loss, for the next several weeks focus on maintaining your current weight. Keep in mind that maintaining your weight still requires planning, so the next issue to address is how you should best utilize your limited time.

As your Mother may have told you, you are what you eat.

Your first priority should be your diet. A good nutrition program will enable you to

improve your body composition
improve your health
improve your stamina

Fact is you cannot out train a bad diet. However, you can lose/maintain weight without exercise. If you have limited time on your hands my suggestion is to focus that time on meal planning and preparation.

Keep up with your food journaling and take adequate time to prepare healthy meals. The effort it takes to eat healthy, nutritious meals now is much less than the effort it will take to burn off a Whopper and fries later on.

If time allows, you certainly want to continue with your workouts. If those workouts will be limited use this time to focus on strength training. Why? Because over the course of any given day the bulk of the calories we burn is based on our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). The more muscle mass we have, the higher our RMR.

If twice per week you can squeeze in an extra 20 minutes at the gym, focus on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

HIIT is done by alternating brief periods or high intensity work (85% or more) with a brief recovery period. HIIT is an example of an anaerobic exercise, which means that an inadequate amount of oxygen is being delivered to working muscles during the course of the exercise.

When compared to steady-state cardio, HIIT results in significantly more calories burned in a much condensed period of exercise.

To summarize, if you find yourself with limited time over the remainder of this year and are concerned about packing on pounds, your order of priority should be:

A focused nutrition plan
Strength training
High Intensity Interval Training

Wishing those celebrating a very happy holiday!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Note: This is a "Best Of" article that originally appeared on Catapult Fitness Blog in November 2008.

Research Flash: A Warm-Up Of Static Stretching May Reduce Endurnace In Runners

2010-11-17T19:47:00.002-05:00

There is interesting research out of the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at Florida State University that suggests that static stretching a part of a runner's warm-up routine may have a negative impact on performance during endurance events.

The research, published in the September 2010 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, nvestigated the effects of static stretching on energy cost and endurance performance in trained male runners.

For the purpose of this study 10 well trained male runners age 25+ ran for 60 minutes on a treadmill on two separate days. One day they warmed up with 16 minutes of static stretching using 5 exercises for the major lower body muscle groups. A week later the warm-up consisted of 16 minutes of quiet sitting.

The results were that when the runners stretched during the warm-up period, their average running distance was 3.4% less than when they ran without stretching.

"Our results suggest that stretching before an endurance event may lower endurance performance and increase the energy cost of running," write Jacob M. Wilson, PhD, CSCS, and colleagues of The Florida State University, Tallahassee.

This research specifically addresses static stretching and makes no claims on how other forms of stretching (e.g., dynamic stretching) may impact performance.

While this research is most definitely of interest for highly trained runners competing in endurance events, the results seem negligible for the average fitness runner. With that said, taking this research in to consideration as well as previous research posted here on CFB, there doesn't seem to be much to gain by focusing on a pre-workout stretching routine either.

My recommendation would be to save the stretching for your post workout routine, forgo stretching prior to running and focus on the core exercises you'll be performing for the purpose of a warm-up routine.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Fish Oil Revisited

2010-10-28T19:08:00.005-04:00

It is my sister this time around who was my inspiration for today's blog posting. We were on the phone earlier this week and she mentioned to me that she heard that Fish Oil supplementation can help reduce belly fat and asked for my thoughts on the subject.

There are several studies dating back to 1997 that focus on the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (found in large amounts in the oil from cold-water fish) as a means of benefiting body composition and metabolic rate in humans.

Specifically, Fish Oil supplementation helps to reduce body fat mass and stimulates lipid oxidation in healthy adults.

The most recent research, published in the October 8 issue of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, concluded that 6-weeks of supplementation with Fish Oil significantly increased lean mass and decreased fat mass. These changes were significantly correlated with a reduction in salivary cortisol following Fish Oil treatment.

If you're in the market for a good Fish Oil supplement, check out this posting which appeared on CFB back in March 2010. Remember, it’s just as important to read the labels on your supplementation products as it is on packaging at the grocery store!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Inspired By A Pickle

2010-10-20T22:29:00.004-04:00

A trip last Saturday to the Union Square Farmer's Market in NYC inspired me to put fingers to keyboard and type my first Catapult Fitness Blog posting in two months. TWO MONTHS! I was honestly beginning to think it was time to simply remove CFB from the blogosphere.

So, what exactly was my inspiration? Honestly, with the abundance of fresh veggies, fruits and locally produced treats, inspiration came quite easily. But what really took me over the top was my visit to the Rick's Picks Pickle stand.

Growing up, having a plate of sliced all sour pickle's on the dinner table was the norm. We'd go to the flea market on Sunday's and never fail to stop at the Pickle vendor for an all sour that would make your lips curl (YUM!). Our monthly family pastrami and corned beef night was always accompanied by some friendly gherkins. In short, I really, really like(d) pickles.

Why the past tense? Well, unfortunately, pickles really didn't fit in to my low sodium diet and for the past 15-months I have been pickle-free.

That is until this past Saturday when I happened by the Rick's Pick stand. A friendly chat with the Rick's Pick representative and a sampling later and I was on my way with a jar of Rick's Picks Slices Of Life - a bread and butter style pickles with a mere 10 mg of sodium per 1 oz serving (roughly 5 pickle rounds, if you are wondering). The entire jar contains only 80 mg of sodium, so if I decide to go pickle crazy one day, no harm no foul.

To put this in to perspective, 1 oz of the various brands of pickles you would find in your local supermarket contain anywhere from 180 mg sodium to 210 mg of sodium per ounce. Again, did I mention that I could eat the entire jar of Slices of Life at only 80 mg?!

Ok, obviously, I'm excited about this pickle find. But more importantly, I'm thrilled to find artisanal companies like Rick's Picks who are dedicated to creating healthy alternatives to what can typically be found in the marketplace.

According to Zagat's, Rick's Picks can be found in local Whole Foods or you can always order online.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Living Low Sodium Recipe: Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wrap

2010-08-24T22:33:00.003-04:00

I was super excited when my friend, Chef Daniel Mancini, shot me this video of his Today's Cooking School lesson:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Grilled chicken, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, peppers and bibb lettuce. What's not to like?

My fave part - No salt. To quote Chef Daniel "I'm not into the salt". Smart man ... when you use fresh, good tasting ingredients you don't need to add sodium.

Seriously, give this recipe a try! For more of Chef Daniel's recipes check out his web site Mama Mancini's.

Thanks for the great recipe Danny! It fits perfectly in to my sodium restricted diet!!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Ask The Trainer

2010-08-15T17:43:00.004-04:00

So, clearly I've been very lax in my postings on Catapult Fitness Blog. Between family stuff, work and on-going apartment renovations I'm not quite certain where this summer has gone.

With that said, I have been trying to keep up to date on the emails being sent to AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com so if you have a question, don't hesitate to email me at that address. I will email you back!

I've gotten about a half dozen emails over the past few weeks all asking the same question which is basically how to fit workouts in to an already hectic life. Trust me, I hear you and the last thing I want to do is spend oodles of hours in the gym. Who has the time?

If you're one of those individuals struggling to squeeze in workouts my suggestion is you give one of the following two Turbulence Training programs a try:

1. The new Turbulence Training Depletion program. This program was just released this month and at the present time this program is only available to TT subscribers. As soon as it becomes available as an individual program for purchase I will let you know.

The TT Depletion program consists of two full body workouts in addition to upper-body and lower-body versions for TT members who want to train on back-to-back days (such as Saturday and Sunday). This program will work for those of you who want to train 3 times per week (alternating between upper and lower workouts on a classic Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule).

As Craig Ballantyne explains, this program uses dumbbell exercises (with a few bodyweight options and one kettlebell exercise) to help you deplete the muscles of glycogen (muscle carbohydrate) in an advanced workout. By doing this, you increase the post-workout storage of carbohydrate in the muscle AND you cause a lot of "turbulence" on the body that should increase post-workout calorie burning over what you would get with normal cardio.

2. The Bodyweight-Cardio 3 program. I'm a big fan of this program because it requires zero equipment. Perfect for those of you looking for an at-home workout or a program that you can take on the road.

Best of all, this program can take the place of traditional interval training. It's a nice change of pace from running intervals on the treadmill and as you know, I'm a huge fan of mixing up workouts. I'm also a big fan of HIIT and for me personally, nothing incinerates fat faster.

The good news here is that non-TT members can purchase the Bodyweight-Cardio 3 program individually for just $29.95.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Pulling It All Together

2010-07-21T12:19:00.005-04:00

Completed Workout B of the Turbulence Training 4-Week Bodyweight Program on Monday, including 3 sets of step-ups on to my weight bench (18 inches off the ground).

This was my first attempt at extended step-ups since being hit with my vestibular condition 14 months ago and admittedly, I was a bit nervous heading in to the workout. The step-ups were the first exercise in Monday's workout and it was a good way to kick things off. I got thru the exercise with no problem and completed the full workout within 25 minutes.

My quads are still screaming at me, but they're screaming a happy tune. Steps-ups have always been one of my favorite exercises and I'm looking forward to the point in time whereas I can begin doing weighted step-ups.

Did Scott Sonnon's Intu-Flow yesterday morning to help stretch out my aching muscles and today it will be back to TT Workout A.

My diet is another story. I'm staying with family out in New Jersey for a few days and have had a few too many temptations. Well, that deed is done and while I cannot turn back the clock I can pull things together moving forward.

I'll be heading to Whole Foods this afternoon to pick up a nice selection of fruit (wish there was a farmer's market out here on weekdays, but unfortunately they're only open on Saturday's) and salad fixin's.

On the nutrition front, while I need to limit my caffeine intake (caffeine increases my Tinitus, which is a symptom of the Meniere's) I'm toying with the idea of consuming a small dose of caffeine prior to my Turbulence Training workouts.

Why?

There's research that supports the theory of caffeine enhancing upper body strength in resistance-trained females.

Caffeine has long been thought to act as a central stimulant and to have effects on physical, cognitive, and psychomotor functioning in regards to endurance performance and anaerobic exercise. How caffeine impacts strength-power performance has been met with mixed reviews, but I find this latest research fairly compelling.

Methodology

In a randomized manner, 15 women consumed caffeine (6 mg/kg) or placebo (PL) seven days apart. Sixty min following supplementation, participants performed a one-repetition maximum (1RM) barbell bench press test and repetitions to failure at 60% of 1RM. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were assessed at rest, 60 minutes post-consumption, and immediately following completion of repetitions to failure.

Results

Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significantly greater bench press maximum with caffeine (p ≤ 0.05) (52.9 ± 11.1 kg vs. 52.1 ± 11.7 kg) with no significant differences between conditions in 60% 1RM repetitions (p = 0.81). Systolic blood pressure was significantly greater post-exercise, with caffeine (p <>

I've been struggling through my push-ups recently. Whereas I used to be able to crunch out 25 - 30 full military push-ups right now I'm struggling to get thru 8 in good form. I'm curious to see if incorporating a moderate dose of caffeine pre-workout helps.

Results to follow.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Airex Balance Pad = Great Glutes

2010-07-18T20:14:00.001-04:00

Back in August 2009 I wrote a review on the Airex Balance Pad, a training tool I was introduced to when I first started Vestibular Therapy.

The Airex Balance Pad is by far my favorite toy when it comes to unstable surface training as unlike other devices (which will remain nameless here), it mitigates your risk of injury (you're not going to go flying off this thing).

In perusing the piles of research that have piled up in my home office I came across research in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that supports unstable surface training when training the gluteus medius.

The research compared double limb stance squats to single limb squats and not surprisingly, found single limb squats placed more demand on the gluteus medius. The research also found exercises performed on an Airex cushion produced greater EMG values as compared with a firm surface.

If you're a runner experiencing lower limb injuries, weak glutes may be a likely culprit and incorporating single leg squats on an Airex Balance Pad should be a consideration for your workout routine.

Oh, and to keep myself honest, this weekend consisted of Workout A of the Turbulence Training 4-Week Bodyweight Program, Intu-Flow, and a 20-minute stint on the incline trainer.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Hello Again

2010-07-16T19:33:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe it has been a month since I said "farewell". Overall, it's been a whirlwind few months with the passing of my Great Aunt (105 years of age!), my Mom taking a fall that has resulted in her moving back up North (at least for now), my having to go back for vestibular therapy, a gas leak in my apartment (I still do not have a kitchen ceiling!) and preparations taking place for a bathroom renovation beginning in September.

In other words, life has been happening.

It's now also 14-months since I was diagnosed with Meneire's disease, which totally threw me for a loop not only in learning to cope with the ups and downs of the condition, but finding a balance with my diet and exercise. Quite frankly, at this moment I'm in pretty bad shape.

So, what better time to dust myself off and kick-start a new beginning?

I'm not certain at this point how much of a role my blog will play in to this. When I launched Catapult Fitness Blog back in April 2008 I was probably the fittest I've ever been, working towards my Fitness Nutrition Certification and quite honestly, feeling alot like Wonder Woman. I entered 2009 with the goal of landing a job as a fitness model.

Clearly, alot has changed since then.

As I said in my last blog posting, life is a series of journeys. I realize now that my journey at this point in time is to pick myself up and start re-focusing on my health and fitness goals.

Dietary changes will definitely be in the works over the next several weeks as will kick-starting my workout regime.

My vestibular therapist won't let me run intervals but we've agreed that walking on the Incline Trainer (2x/week) is a-OK. I'll also be starting the Turbulence Training 4-Week Bodyweight program (3x/week) and Scott Sonnon's Intu-Flow (2x/week).

It may sound like a lot for someone still in 'recovery', but I think it's do-able. Obviously, I may make adjustments based on how this workout impacts my balance therapy.

For now, my starting point is as follows:

Weight - 127 lbs
BF % - ~ 28%

Wish me luck!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Farewell ... For Now

2010-06-16T17:43:00.003-04:00

When I first launched CFB 2+ years ago I never imagined that I would be typing my 364th posting. Yet, here I am.

That first time I hit "publish" my expectations weren't high. I simply wanted a place to voice my opinion, share information and if I picked up a reader or two along the way ... hooray!

I'm proud to say that CFB readership grew to levels I could not have imagined. At its peak CFB had close to 200 unique visitors per day spanning 6 continents.

Through this blog I have had the honor of meeting, corresponding and working with a variety of fitness and nutrition experts including Jillian Michaels, Craig Ballantyne, Scott Sonnon and Alan Aragon. These individuals have and will continue to positively impact my life for years to come.

Equally important are those individuals whom I've been able to help shed a few pounds along the way and who have greatly enriched my life by sharing their personal experiences with me.

It's been a struggle to make the decision whether or not to continue with CFB. Even as I type this posting I have pangs of regret in deciding to take a hiatus.

With that said, life is a series of journeys and I need to bring this particular journey to a close for now. Then again, I'm a firm believer in revisiting places I love, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, should you have a fitness or nutrition question, please feel free to email me at AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com . It may just inspire a future posting!

Train hard; stay strong; be well.

Peace.

Susan

Lower Back Problems? Try These Core Exercises

2010-06-07T12:13:00.002-04:00

Note: I originally posted this article back in August 2009. A friend mentioned to me over the weekend that he's having back issues, so Dave, this is for you! ...

Starting in my early 20’s I suffered from back pain for years. My back pain liked to move around from my upper neck where I would have a pinched nerve at least once a year, to my lower back with sciatica that would resonate down to my toes.

Back pain sucks. I got caught in a cycle of seeing a Chiropractor as often as three times per week. He would manipulate my spine, use electrical muscle stimulation, heat and ice, none of which helped to relieve the pain.

As it turned out, my Chiropractor decided to relocate far, far away. I’ll never forget the day he told me this news as a wave a sheer panic took over. What would I do without my trusted Chiropractor?

I asked this question relentlessly, to anyone who would listen. It was during this time that a co-worker introduced me to a book entitled Healing Back Pain: The Mind Body Connection by Dr. John Sarno. This book changed my life and since reading it I have purchased additional copies to offer to other folks who tell me they suffer from back problems. The book is really that good.

While it has been years since I’ve suffered from back pain, I never take these pain free days for granted.

Craig Ballantyne, the founder of Turbulence Training, has an excellent video that demonstrates three core exercises for the back – the plank, side plank and bird dog. I do these exercises 3 – 4 times per week to ensure that my core remains strong.

Even if you’re not a back pain sufferer, give these core exercises a try!

Stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Easy Meals For Easy Summer Days

2010-06-01T17:40:00.001-04:00

I absolutely love to cook, but with the weather warming up the last thing I need to do is start heating up my kitchen by turning on the oven. Also, who wants to be stuck over a stove when you can be outside!?

This is the time of year when I really start relying more and more on my one-bowl meals. The beauty of these meals is that they can be based on what you have on-hand. I can get through an entire week of never having the same combination, so boredom is never a problem and these meals couldn't be easier to prepare.

Here's how it works.

1. Select your serving of lean protein (4 - 6 oz). Good options are cooked salmon, shrimp, white meat chicken or turkey, beans, tofu or eggs.

2. Choose your whole grain (1 cup cooked). Whole-wheat couscous, kasha, quinoa, bulger, brown rice or whole wheat pasta are great choices.

3. Add your veggies (1 - 2 cups). Go crazy; the more the better. You can use broccoli, tomato, cucumber, carrots, celery, snap peas, lettuce, radish, mushrooms and onion. Try to use a rainbow of different color vegetables for maximum antioxidant benefit.

4. Treat yourself to some extras. Fresh fruit, seeds, flaxseed, wheat germ, fresh herbs and nuts can be added, but make certain you pay attention to portions - especially when it comes to nuts and seeds which can pack on the fat.

I top my salad off with a homemade vinaigrette that typically consists a little olive oil and vinegar. Sometimes I find just a splash of good balsamic vinegar will do (depending on the ingredients) and other times I'll make a dressing of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Again, if you're using olive oil, just be conscious of the nutrients and work the fat grams into your daily regime.

These one-bowl dishes are loaded with protein, whole grains carbs, anti-oxidants and healthy fats.

Would love to hear about some of the combination's you come up with! To get you started, here's one of my faves:

Susan's One-Bowl Chicken Dish:

4 oz grilled, skinless chicken breast
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 scallion, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach
2 raw mushrooms, sliced
6 grape tomatoes, cut in half

If you give these one-bowl meals a shot I would love to hear about the combination's you come up with. Please share - the more ideas, the better!

Heading out of town for the rest of the week and will probably not have a chance to post again until next Monday.

In the meantime ...

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Here's To Another Happy, Fit Summer!

2010-05-28T09:02:00.000-04:00

For the past two years, to celebrate the unofficial kick-off to summer I provided Catapult Fitness Blog readers with a 4-week workout program to ensure everyone would be on their way to being ripped by July 4th!

With the holiday weekend once again upon us, I thought it appropriate to re-post that workout.

Link To Free 4-Week Bodyweight Turbulence Training Workout

After clicking on the above link, make certain to download the file as a .PDF so you have easy access to it via your own computer!

I also wanted to provide CFB readers with two additional workouts - one for beginners and one for those of you who are more advanced Turbulence Training followers:

If you are a beginner, try this:

1) Bodyweight Squat - 30 seconds
2) Kneeling Pushups - 30 seconds
3) Stability Ball Leg Curl - 30 seconds
4) Side Plank - 15 seconds per side

Rest 30 seconds and repeat 1 more time for a 5 minute total body strength circuit.

Craig Ballantyne's 7-Exercise Sweat Circuit (Advanced):

1) Kettlebell Swings - 30 seconds
2) Pushups - 30 seconds
3) Kettlebell Snatches - 30 seconds per side
4) Jumps - 30 seconds
5) Mountain Climbers - 30 seconds (alternating sides)
6) Run at 8/10 intensity - 60 seconds
7) Plank - 60 seconds

Train hard; stay strong; enjoy the long weekend!

Peace.

Susan

What To Drink

2010-05-26T15:59:00.006-04:00

David Zinczenko, Editor-In-Chief of Men's Health Magazine, came out with his listing of America's Best & Worst 'Health' Drinks.

IMO Mr. Zinczenko is brilliant. In his 8+ years at Men's Health the magazine's circulation has grown by 30% and ad pages by 80%. Pretty darn impressive stats.

And while I conceptually agree with the premise of his Eat This, Not That mantra which is focused on finding healthier alternatives to the oodles of fast food and convenience options that are 'feeding' the obesity epidemic, I am not convinced that recommending a drink that contains 71 grams of sugar (the Very Berry Chiller) is necessarily the recommendation the general public needs to hear.

With that said, it's already heating up here in NYC with the thermometer teetering around 93 degrees today. Staying hydrated should be on everyone's mind as the heat and humidity begin to rise, so here are a few of my preferred 'health' drink options:

Water. I'm certain this surprised no one. Like David, my personal preference is SmartWater, but clearly there is an argument to be made for forgoing bottled water. We'll leave that discussion to another time and for now hopefully all agree that water consumption is a good thing! If you prefer a little flavor, feel free to add a slice or two of lemon or better yet -- free strawberries and grapes and use them as ice cubes!

Green Tea. Hot or iced, green tea is amongst the least processed of all teas and provides the most antioxidant polyphenols, notably a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is believed to be responsible for most of the health benefits linked to green tea.

Protein Supplementation. Anyone who has been reading CFB for a while knows that I prefer whole foods to protein supplementation, but if you need that extra protein boost, there's certainly nothing wrong with a post-workout shake. I personally use water as my base.

Susan's Protein Shake:

- 2 scoops Designer Whey Protein, chocolate flavored
- 8 oz water
- 1 shot black coffee

Combine all ingredients in a blender, refrigerate and enjoy!

Train hard; stay strong and stay hydrated!

Peace.

Susan

To Stretch Or Not To Stretch

2010-05-24T10:42:00.002-04:00

Stretching is always an interesting topic and one that is clouded by conflicting opinions, not only in how we stretch, but in why we stretch. Some people stretch to reduce risk of injury, others stretch to provide relief of soreness and stiffness, and other stretch because it gives them a sense of well-being.

My focus for this posting pertains to the first two points. Does stretching pre-and/or post exercise reduce the risk of injury? Does stretching provide relief of soreness?

I did a little digging, and found some interesting research conducted out of the University of Tampa back in 2002 that addressed whether pre and post-exercise stretching affected muscle soreness and the risk of injury.

This research was a compilation of 5 studies, with the focus being on military recruits. The data on stretching and muscle soreness indicated that, on average, individuals will observe a reduction in soreness of less than 2 mm on a 100-mm scale during the 72 hours after exercise.

With respect to risk of injury, the combined risk reduction of 5% indicates that the stretching protocols used in these studies do not meaningfully reduce lower extremity injury risk of army recruits undergoing military training.

Most of the physical benefits of a warm up (increased blood flow to the muscles, enhanced metabolic reactions, reduced muscle viscosity, increased extensibility of connective tissue, improved conduction velocity of action potentials, etc.) are obtained during the first few repetitions of an exercise.

2007 research conducted out of Sydney, Australia concluded that stretching before exercise reduced soreness on the day after by just half a point on a 100-point scale, and stretching after a workout reduced soreness by one point, and neither measure was statistically significant.

The 2007 study by Robert Herbert, Ph.D., and Marcos de Noronha, Ph.D. of the University of Sydney, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 previously published studies of stretching either before or after athletic activity. They concluded that stretching before exercise doesn't prevent post-exercise muscle soreness. They also found little support for the theory that stretching immediately before exercise can prevent either overuse or acute sports injuries.

Much of this confusion comes from a misinterpretation of research on warm-up. These studies found that warming-up by itself has no effect on range of motion, but that when the warm-up is followed by stretching there is an increase in range of motion. Many people misinterpreted this finding to mean that stretching before exercise prevents injuries, even though the clinical research suggests otherwise. A better interpretation is that warm-up prevents injury, whereas stretching has no effect on injury.

If injury prevention is the primary objective the evidence suggests that athletes should limit the stretching before exercise and increase the warm-up time.

It is important to note that there are a multitude of studies that support the use of 30-second stretches for increasing range of motion and as such, it makes sense to add stretching as part of a general fitness program.

I choose to stretch independent of my workout (usually at night while watching the news). For my warm-ups I usually focus on a few of the core exercises I’ll be performing. For example, a typical warm-up may include:

Prisoner squats
Push-ups
Stability ball knee curls

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Time Well Spent

2010-05-21T08:03:00.000-04:00

I decided to head over to the gym last night around 7pm and quickly remembered why I typically DON'T go to the gym at night - it was mobbed.

My main goal was to get in my workout and get out of that gym as quickly as possible.

My workout of choice was day 1, workout A of the Turbulence Training Hardcore 2K10 program. The workout is comprised of supersets, a big plus when you're crunched for time (or just in a hurry to finish!).

Another big time saving factor was that like most TT programs, the workout has minimal rest between sets. This helps to burn more calories over the course of the workout by keeping your metabolism cranking.

I also wanted to add in an extra day of ab work this week so I decided to integrate my ab work between sets. I've found that integrating ab work and/or cardio between sets is a great time saver (sometimes, instead of working my abs I'll toss in 100 reps of jumping jacks or jump rope).

Total time spent in the gym - 50 minutes.

Results - priceless.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Evolution Of Push-Ups

2010-05-19T09:26:00.000-04:00

I've been asked many times if I have one favorite exercise. My answer is NO, but if I had to pick my top 5 you can be certain that push-ups would be included!

Why should you include push-ups in your workout routine?

The require zero equipment and can be performed pretty much anywhere (even your cubicle at work!).
They're extremely versatile in that a simple change in hand position can make the movement easier or more difficult.
Push-ups work your chest, shoulders, triceps and core.

If you need some ideas for getting started with push-ups, check out this video by Turbulence Training founder, Craig Ballantyne:

Remember to tuck your head when performing push-ups. You do not want to look forward as your neck should stay in-line with the rest of your spine.

You can check out Craig's bodyweight exercise packages HERE.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Smith Machine - Friend Or Foe?

2010-05-17T19:13:00.003-04:00

My neighborhood New York Sports Club has gone heavy on the Smith Machines, while providing only 1 full power rack - something that quite honestly has peeved me off.

It's not that I'm entirely anti-Smith machine and admittedly, I do use it for inverted rows and sometimes for incline push-ups. Oh yeah, it's also a great place to hang my towel when I'm using the power rack.

Regardless, the Smith machines do get a fair amount of usage at the gym and just this past week I was watching one guy loading up the Smith Machine and using it for bench presses.

He really had a good amount of weight on the bar and seemed incredibly pleased when he was able to complete 6 reps. So much so that there was a good amount of gloating between him and his friend who was doing free weight bench presses across the gym.

While it certainly wasn't my place to burst this guys bubble, the reality of the situation is that using the Smith machine requires less strength and less muscle than free weights. Because the Smith machine balances the weight for you and the bar is within a fixed plane, stabilizing muscles are taken out of play and muscle imbalances often occur.

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published in March of this year an article on The Comparison of Muscle Activation Between a Smith Machine and Free Weight Bench Press.

The purpose of the study was to compare muscle activation of the anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, and pectoralis major during a Smith machine and free weight bench press at lower (70% 1 repetition maximum [1RM]) and higher (90% 1RM) intensities.

Normalized electromyography amplitude values were used during the concentric phase of the bench press to compare muscle activity between a free weight and Smith machine bench press. Participants were classified as either experienced or inexperienced bench pressers. Two testing sessions were used, each of which entailed either all free weight or all Smith machine testing. In each testing session, each participant's 1RM was established followed by 2 repetitions at 70% of 1RM and 2 repetitions at 90% of 1RM.

Results indicated greater activation of the medial deltoid on the free weight bench press than on the Smith machine bench press. Also, there was greater muscle activation at the 90% 1RM load than at the 70% 1RM load. The results of this study suggest that strength coaches should consider choosing the free weight bench press over the Smith machine bench press because of its potential for greater upper-body muscular development.

As the authors of the study point out, there were no differences in muscle activation for anterior deltoid or pectoralis major between exercises, regardless of load or experience level. The authors speculated that this may be due to the greater stability of the fixed path of motion in the Smith machine. However, activation of the medial deltoid was significantly greater during the free weight bench press.

The results of this study support the findings on the 1994 study by Steven McCaw and Jeffrey Friday comparing muscle activity between a free weight and machine bench press. Interestingly, these appear to be the only two research studies conducted on this often contested topic.

From personal observation, with the exception of the individual undergoing rehab, many of those who gravitate towards the Smith Machine for bench press, squats and deadlifts are more focused on ego than functional strength gains.

Start light, learn proper form and reap real benefits from the time you put in at the gym.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Ask The Trainer

2010-05-12T15:09:00.001-04:00

CFB reader Anne M. sent in a question a couple of weeks ago concerning probiotics and belly fat.

Question: A co-worker mentioned to me that probiotics cuts belly fat. Is this true? I carry excess weight around my mid-section and was wondering if adding probiotic supplementation would help to get rid of the bulge. Anne M., San Francisco, CA

Answer: Anne, I personally do supplement with probiotics as these live cultures help to improve digestion and alleviate bloating.

In regards to probiotics reducing belly fat, let's just say the jury is still out.

There was a great deal of chatter about this last year, surrounding the 2009 European Congress on Obesity conference in Amsterdam.

The study referenced during that conference specifically focused on pregnant women and how if they had been given probiotics from the first trimester of pregnancy, they had a lower level of belly fat and overall body fat a year after giving birth, than those who were not given probiotics.

In the study, 256 women were randomly divided into three groups during the first trimester of pregnancy. Two of the groups received dietary counseling consistent with what's recommended during pregnancy for healthy weight gain and optimal fetal development. They were also given food such as spreads and salad dressings with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as fibre-enriched pasta and breakfast cereal to take home. One of those groups also received daily capsules of probiotics containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which are the most commonly used probiotics. The other group received dummy capsules. A third group received dummy capsules and no dietary counseling. The capsules were continued until the women stopped exclusive breastfeeding, up to 6 months.

The researchers weighed the women at the start of the study. At the end of the study they weighed them again and measured their waist circumference and skin fold thickness. The results were adjusted for weight at the start of the study.

What I feel is a major limitation of the study is that it did not control for the mothers' weight before pregnancy, which may influence how fat they later become. So, the question becomes, did the women taking the probiotics have less belly/body fat to begin with?

Ultimately, this is one research study and while it certainly helps to develop a hypothesis, more research needs to be conducted to conclude any validity to this hypothesis.

Getting back to your original question of should you add probiotic supplementation to your daily regime?

There are many studies that support the effectiveness of probiotics in preventing and managing common GI disorders. They improve digestive health, strengthen the immune system and help lower cholesterol.

With that said, the sad fact of the matter is that a good deal of the probiotics available do not survive the manufacturing process.

An advanced probiotic formulation containing strains of the bacterium Bacillus coagulans offers promise in sidestepping the difficulties and maximizing the benefits of probiotic supplementation.

These microorganisms are each surrounded by a natural protective shield, which helps them survive the heat and pressure of manufacturing and the acids and bile of digestion, so they have a far better chance of arriving alive and well in the intestines, where they go to work.

My brand of choice is Udo's Adult Blend which is typically found in the refrigerator section of a vitamin and/or health food store. Refrigeration will ensure maximum potency and stability of probiotics.

Send your fitness questions to AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Rose Goldstein

2010-05-11T09:40:00.002-04:00

My great-aunt, Rose Goldstein, passed away yesterday at age 105.

It got me thinking last night about all the inventions, novelties and events this woman saw in her lifetime:

- The airplane
- The radio receiver
- The bra
- Talkies (movies)
- Television
- Sliced bread
- Antibiotics
- The ballpoint pen
- Nuclear weapons
- The credit card
- The Polio vaccine
- Fiber optics
- Digital clocks
- FM synthesis
- The hard-drive
- Dolly, the cloned sheep

... and the list goes on and on (and on).

Rose lived through two World Wars, the Philippine American War, the Mexican and Russian Revolutions, the Israel-Arab conflicts, the Korean, Vietnam, India-Pakistan, Iran-Iraq, Falkland Islands, and Persian-Gulf wars, in addition to a handful of invasions and most recently, the war on Terror.

During Rose's lifetime there have been 19 U.S. Presidents beginning with Theodore Roosevelt and ending with our first African-American President, Barack Obama.

She was around when McCarthy's Communist witch-hunt began in the U.S. (1920), was an adult during the stock market crash and Great Depression, and I'm sure was in front of her TV to watch the U.S. astronauts land on the moon in 1969.

If I lived to be 105 years old the year would be 2068. It's difficult to fathom what the world will be like at that time. I'd like to think that there will be cures for many of the inflammatory diseases that plague us (cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's, obesity) and that we will be at least on the road to ending famine.

I would also like to think that should I live to be 105, I'll do so with the same grace that my great-aunt Rose did.

Peace.

Susan

Abdominal Exercise and Infomercial Gadgets

2010-05-10T08:55:00.000-04:00

The insomniac that I am I found myself watching infomercials in the wee hours of the morning. It seemed that every time I flipped the channel there was a commercial for some gizmo that promised rock-hard abs for minimal effort.

First and foremost, abs are made in the kitchen.

With that said, the fact of the matter is that there are people who are going to purchase these toys and the best I can do is share the facts.

I reached out to Turbulence Trainer founder Craig Ballantyne and ask him for permission to re-post an excellent article he wrote on what we both feel is one of the better ab gadgets in the marketplace - the good, old fashioned ab wheel (I got mine from New York Barbells, but you can pick up an ab wheel in just about any sporting good store).

Review of Ab Exercise Infomercial Gadgets
by Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Believe it or not, one of my favorite ab exercises includes one of those cheap infomercial gadgets, The Ab Wheel. You can pick one up at Walmart for under 20 bucks, and it works your abs hard without crunches.

But do other ab gadgets hold up?

Researchers (from the Mayo Clinic, of all places) tested the "Ab-Slide" device and compared it to the ab crunch, the supine double leg thrust (seated knee tuck-in), and side plank.

Reference: J Strength Cond Res. 2008 Nov;22(6):1939-46.

Ten young men and twelve young women did all the exercises.

Tests showed that the Ab-Slide, a contraption fairly similar to the Ab Wheel, worked the abs the hardest.

On the other hand, the seated knee tuck-in required a lot of hip flexion, and the doctors believed it could cause BACK PROBLEMS in people prone to low back injury.

Personally, I'm going to stick with the Ab Wheel, but as usual, I'm going to keep crunches out of my program, and add the Seated Knee Tuck-in to my list of ab exercises to avoid.

Not only are crunches and knee tuck-ins hard on your low back, they are also useless for helping
you get a flat stomach. Instead, stick to interval training and research proven ab exercises if you want to transform your body.

To do the ab wheel exercise, kneel on a mat with your hands on the ab wheel. Keep your body in a straight line, brace your abs, and keep your low back tensed. Slowly roll out as far as is comfortable. Keep your abs braced, and contract them maximally to come back up to the start. That's a great ab exercise.

If you don't have an ab wheel, you can use a stability ball for a similar exercise. Kneel on a mat and place your clasped hands on the top of a medium sized ball.

Brace you abs and slowly lean forward and roll your hands over the ball while the ball moves away from your body. Keep your body in a straight line and go as far as you can with perfect form.

Contract your abs and reverse the motion to return to the upright position.

And to do the side plank, lie on a mat on your right side. Support your body weight with your
knees and on your right elbow. Raise your body in a straight line so that your body hovers over the mat.

Keep your back straight and your hips up. Hold your abs tight. Contract them as if someone was about to punch you in the stomach, but breath normally.

Hold this position for the recommended amount of time. Switch sides.

All of those exercises are powerful, non-traditional ab exercises that will help you get more results in less time, plus they are safe for your back. Avoid crunches and stick to those exercises to work your abs.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Quinoa Salad Recipe

2010-05-08T19:24:00.002-04:00

Tried this recipe (yes, if you click that link it will take you directly to the Quinoa Salad recipe!) from The City Cook today and loved, loved, LOVED it!

Some modifications that I made to this recipe were that I left out the salt and the prosciutto (doesn't work with my sodium restricted diet). Also, being that it is ramp season, I substituted ramps for the scallions.

For those of you unfamiliar with ramps, also referred to as 'wild leeks', they fall somewhere between a scallion and garlic. They truly are a spring delicacy as they have a very short-lived season - late April to early June. If you come across these at a local farmers market over the next few weeks, give them a try!

If you haven't yet tried Quinoa, this is a fabulous starter recipe for you to try. While considered a grain, Quinoa is a 'complete protein' which means that it contains all 9 essential amino acids.

Quinoa is especially rich in lysine, an amino acid essential in tissue growth and repair.

I personally add it to home-made chili and use it in place of potatoes and rice.

If you have a Quinoa recipe I'd love to hear it! Please post details in the comments section of this posting!!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

May Is National Arthritis Month

2010-05-05T09:26:00.004-04:00

Some of you reading this posting may think that you’re way too young to be thinking about Arthritis, or like me, some of you may be experiencing a few more aches and pains than you did a few years ago (and perhaps wondering, “why?”).

While arthritis does affect 50% of adults over the age of 65, there are ~ 9 million people under the age of 44 suffering from doctor-diagnosed arthritis including osteoarthritis, gout, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis.

It’s important to consider that regardless of your age, people who are overweight or obese report more doctor-diagnosed arthritis than people with a lower body mass index (BMI). Statistically speaking, 66% of adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis are overweight or obese so if you need yet another excuse to lose those extra pounds, there you go.

Check out the Website Fight Arthritis Pain for fantastic resources, including a tool for assessing your osteoarthritis risk, community support forums a local events calendar, and a movement tracker widget that can be shared on social networking sites and will help keep you on track as you try to move daily.

Remember, if you’re already suffering from arthritis; discuss an exercise plan with your doctor as some exercises may be off limits depending on joint issues.

With that said, one exercise just about all of us can benefit from is walking and throughout the month of May there will be over 100 Arthritis Walks held nationwide to help raise awareness and funds to help improve the lives of those that live with arthritis. For more info visit: http:// www.fightarthritispain.org

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Running Season

2010-05-03T20:22:00.002-04:00

The weather is warming up and several of my friends throughout the country currently training for half and full marathons. This posting is for you!

MapMyRun.com is a social networking community for, you guessed it, runners. Using Google Maps the website allows users to plot a route, track distance and calculate calories burned. (note: There's a nifty iMapMyRun app that can be downloaded via iTunes for you iPhone users.)

The website also allows users to record workouts and monitor progress. You can even set up email reminders to ensure you do not miss a workout and keep track of when you should replace your running shoes (how cool is that?).

One of my favorite features is that you can visualize your running route in a 3D view.

If you're a biker or hiker, you can check out MapMyRide or MapMyHike (there's also MapMyTri, MapMyWalk and MapMyMountain).

These sites are excellent tools for anyone in training that needs some extra motivation.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Eat Clean Diet

2010-04-28T08:36:00.000-04:00

When I decided to begin my journey it was as much about getting healthy as it was getting fit. A good deal of time early on was spent working out my nutrition plan.

One of the books I came across was Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. I rarely buy cookbooks any longer as it seems that you can find just about any recipe online. Sure enough, a quick Google search and I found several of Tosca's recipes available for preview.

I was so impressed with my "test meals" that I did indeed make the decision to purchase the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook and many of the recipes in that book are now part of my stable of healthy meals.

While I cannot share all recipes with my readers, below are a few that you could yourself find online. Test them out at your convenience and share your thoughts with me on how you like them.

BROWN RICE BREAKFAST BURRITOS
Who would think that rice could be part of your breakfast? In truth it is a wonderful addition to this version of burritos. Use any leftovers for lunch in your cooler.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup green bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup peeled, shredded carrots
3 cups cooked brown rice
10 egg whites + 2 egg yolks
1/4 cup skim milk
Cooking spray
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Warm tortillas
Salsa

METHOD
Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat sauté vegetables for several minutes. Meanwhile in separate bowl whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and pour eggs over vegetables. Add cooked rice and stir constantly until eggs set, about 3 minutes. Spoon into warm low-fat tortillas or eat as scrambled eggs. Top with salsa.

Vegetarian option:
Omit eggs and substitute one pound medium tofu, drained and mashed.

Tortilla options:
Many tortillas are quite fatty but there are brown rice options that are suitable for Clean-Eating purposes (and gluten-free diets, too!).

YIELD
Makes 2-3 servings

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING
Calories: 101
Fat: 12 g
Carbs: 8 g
Protein: 14 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg

ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST WITH RED POTATOES AND ASPARAGUS
Baked to perfection in a medley of fresh vegetables, garlic and spices, this clean-eating meal will have even the fussiest of families reaching for seconds.

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray
3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 2 inch cubes
2 lb red potatoes, chopped into 2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Ground pepper to taste

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Add chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus, basil, garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary. Add pepper if desired. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally until tender. Serve.

YIELD:
Makes 8 servings

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:
Calories: 426
Fat: 16g
Carbs: 30g
Protein: 40g
Fiber: 1g

ROAST STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN
Pork tenderloin is a delicious and lean source of protein. Preparing it according to this recipe makes it a perfect special Sunday entrée. Add steamed veggies and baked sweet potatoes and you've got a meal. Don't like pork? Use boneless turkey breast instead.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup / 125 ml cooked broccoli
1/4 cup / 60 ml finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup / 125 ml breadcrumbs (use gluten-free bread if desired)
1/4 cup / 60 ml fine oat bran (uncontaminated)
1/3 cup / 80 ml chopped walnuts
1/3 cup / 80 ml finely chopped apricots
2 Tbsp / 30 ml water or low sodium chicken stock (gluten free if necessary)
2 pork tenderloins (or one large turkey breast)
1 Tbsp / 15 ml black peppercorns, coarsely chopped
1 tsp / 5 ml dried sage
1 tsp / 5 ml dried rosemary
1 tsp / 5 ml dried thyme
Sea salt

METHOD

In a medium bowl combine broccoli, bread crumbs, oat bran, walnuts, parsley, chopped apricots and 2 tablespoons / 30 ml water or low-sodium chicken stock. Mix well and set aside.

Place pork tenderloins (or turkey breast) on cutting board and butterfly them - cut them in half lengthwise almost all the way through but not quite. Using the blade of a large wide knife, such as a cleaver, flatten the pork tenderloins. Spoon the stuffing into each of the tenderloins or turkey if using.

Fold one side over the other and tie with kitchen twine, starting at the end of the tenderloin or turkey breast. Sprinkle with dried herbs, black peppercorns and sea salt. Place in shallow casserole dish. Bake in preheated 350°F / 177°C oven for 25 to 40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F / 71°C. Remove meat from oven and cover with foil. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve pork or turkey with unsweetened applesauce. It is delicious!

YIELD
Makes 8 servings

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING
Calories: 229
Calories from Fat: 63
Protein: 26g
Carbs: 14 g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 1 g
Fat: 7 g
Sodium: 87mg

Stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Pace Yourself

2010-04-26T09:52:00.001-04:00

Here's a really interesting training tidbit for those of you looking to improve your strength.

Tempo is a training parameter that is quite often neglected. A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that using a metronome helps to maintain a steady lifting tempo and can help you reach your hypertrophy goals faster.

If building strength is your overall goal, be sure to not rush through your sets and make certain to keep your cadence uniform throughout the entire range of motion for maximum benefit.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Can Fat Fight Fat?

2010-04-23T09:34:00.004-04:00

When I first started studying nutrition it took me a while to wrap my head around the concept of “healthy fats”. From the time I hit my 30s it seemed that ‘fat free’ foods (Nabisco’s Snackwell cookies, chips, et al) took over the shelves of my local supermarket.

Funny thing is the more fat-free foods I consumed, the heavier I became!!

These days I focus on staying away from any foods that are packaged in colorful cardboard boxes and actually make certain to include healthy fats as part of my daily calorie intake.

My focus? Plenty of Omega-3's which is found in fish and fish oil, plants such as flaxseed, walnuts and soybeans.

Interestingly, research suggests that over-weight and obese people tend to have lower level of Omega-3 fatty acids than their healthy size counterparts. These results are in line with other research that suggests that Omega-3 supplementation may play a role in weight loss and preventing weight gain.

How is it that Omega-3 fatty acids can help fight fat? Omega-3's may increase thermogenesis - the process by which the body generates heat. Research also suggests that Omega-3's boosted satiety in overweight and obese individuals resulting in them eating less.

Bottom line: A diet supplemented with Omega promotes losses of body fat with simultaneous gains in lean mass.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Ask The Trainer

2010-04-20T16:15:00.000-04:00

One of the most common questions I get is in regards to what to eat as a post-workout meal.

The first 45 - 60 minutes following a strength training workout is a window of opportunity for maximizing potential muscle gains. It is during this time after a workout that gylcogen stores are depleted, and the enzymes that convert glucose into glycogen are in a state such that sugar (glucose) can be consumed and is rushed directly to the muscles to replace lost glycogen stores.

Here is a list of 5 post-workout meals that are quick to prepare and easy to digest:

1. A post-workout shake that has a blend of quality protein (whey, casein, soy or a combination of these proteins) and carbohydrates (e.g, a banana).

2. Low-fat yogurt with fresh berries (stay away from pre-packaged yogurt with fruit on the bottom!).

3. A sports drink that has a blend of protein and carbohydrates.

4. A can of tuna and whole-grain crackers or Ezekiel bread.

5. Nonfat chocolate milk.

If you have a favorite post-workout meal I would love to hear about it! Feel free to post comments on your meal of choice!!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Fat Loss Workout For Women?

2010-04-16T10:03:00.001-04:00

Craig Ballantyne, founder of Turbulence Training, developed this workout for a really well known fitness magazine. While Craig has deemed this a "woman's workout", I'm guessing that many men out there will find this petty challenging!

This particular workout is targeted to individuals at an intermediate/advanced fitness level, but there are a few tips for making the workout easier if you beginners want to give it a try!

Warm-Up

Make sure to start with a total body, bodyweight warm-up, featuring prisoner squats, easy pushups (again, this is Craig's workout. I'd like to see everyone doing full push-ups!), stability ball hip extensions, and planks.

Supersets

Don’t rest between supersets, but take 30-60 seconds before repeating each superset.

1A) DB Walking Lunge (8 reps/side)
1B) Stability Ball Ab Pike (10 reps)

2A) DB Chest Press (8 reps)
2B) 2-Leg Stability Ball Leg Curl (20 reps)

3A) DB Row (12 reps/side)
3B) X-Body Mountain Climber (12/side)

Interval Training (cardio)

To make that workout easier, use 1-leg hip extensions instead of walking lunges, planks instead of the ball pike, and side planks instead of X-body mountain climbers.

In total, this workout shouldn't take you more than 45 - 50 minutes.

Click here to get more Turbulence Training Workouts for only $9.95/each.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Pearl's Of Wisdom From Coach Sonnon

2010-04-14T09:23:00.003-04:00

If you're lucky you find a qualified trainer who can teach you proper exercise technique. Over time you will not only transform your body, but realize many of the psychological and physiological benefits of exercise including improved cognitive function, reduced fatigue, an improved psyche and reduce levels of anxiety.

If you're really lucky, you will may come across the rare individual who can also teach you how to life your life to your best ability. In Coach Scott Sonnon I feel I have found both.

While I have followed Coach Sonnon for the past 5+ years, it has really been over the past several months, as I have continued to recover and learn to live with my vestibular disorder, that I have truly begun to appreciate the Coach's philosophy, which can be applied not only to fitness, but life itself.

In my journal I have jotted down some nuggets of information from Scott that I would love to now share with Catapult Fitness Readers.

Live. Learn. Grow.

Pearl of Wisdom 1: We can be shot with 2 arrows. 1 is PAIN: an evaporating hurt; 2 is SUFFERING: a lingering anguish. To live with honor, we must accept that we may be hit with the first arrow, but it is our choice to be shot with the second. Suffering is only our mind's story about pain, our self-pity. We are promised to face many pains in life, but suffering is a choice. Experience the pain and let it go. We need not suffer it.

Pearl of Wisdom 2: It takes bravery to confront Reality and take true baby steps. This I know and respect. And it takes a strong ego to defeat ego, so do not begrudge your will to push hard. It's a virtrue. Like most athletes with a strong ego, pushing hard must be defined in terms of how very hard it can be to take each baby step without skipping. With strong wills like yours it's harder to wear the yoke than feel the whip. And I respect you for this.

Note: These were Scott's words to me in confronting my condition as I attempted to re-engage in an exercise program. His words proved invaluable to me and enabled me to not simply recognize my limitations, but revel in my accomplishments.

Pearl of Wisdom 3: Finding the place where you want desperately to quit, and choosing to continue, is more than good training. We cannot compartmentalize perseverance. It ripples throughout our character.

Pearl of Wisdom 4: We've taken "Stopping and Smelling the Roses" to an illogical extreme; oscillating between mind-less work and over-indulgent leisure. Use daily training to reframe whatever you do as PRACTICE: a deepening development of yourself. Everything you do will become mysterious, illuminating and gratifying to you and everyone in your sphere of influence.

Pearl of Wisdom 5: The hardest lesson to teach the next generation? To live courageously. Why? Because it can only be done by example, which requires you to face your greatest fears, and make the difficult, righteous choice. When no one is looking. You shall not profit or be recognized for your deeds. I aspire to this.

I cannot really adequately express how Coach Sonnon has helped me in my recovery process. The best I can do is say that sometime we need to take ourselves out of our present and view life from a much broader perspective.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

How Sweet It Is

2010-04-12T08:12:00.002-04:00

If you were around in the 1970s you likely heard of the grapefruit diet, a quick-fix, fad diet that had followers eating a grapefruit with each meal and consuming ridiculously low calories (~ 800/day).

Obviously, I do not promote fad diets but every now and again research rears it's head and finds something of value in what would seem to absurd.

In the case of the grapefruit diet, it's not the starvation tactics that are of value but rather a type of flavonoid found in grapefruit and other citrus fruit called naringenin.

A study published in the Journal Diabetes found that naringenin can prompt the liver to burn excess fat rather than store it - at least if you're a mouse.

The research was based on dividing healthy mice with normal body weight in to 4 groups.

One group was fed a normal, healthy diet. The second group received a high fat, high calorie diet. The third and fourth groups received a high fat, high calorie diet along with naringenin supplementation.

After 4-weeks the mice on the high fat, high calorie diet became obese in addition to insulin and glucose intolerant (markers linked to Metabolic Syndrome).

The two groups who received the naringenin supplementation did not gain weight like their high fat, high calorie counterparts. Nor did they develop markers linked to Metabolic Syndrome.

While it will obviously be interesting to see further research using humans as a control group, consider that a grapefruit a day may help keep the fat away. And if it doesn't, it's certainly a better snack than a bag of chips!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

What Can We Learn From The Running Indians?

2010-04-10T10:57:00.004-04:00

The Tarahumara Indians live high in the Sierra Madre Mountains of mainland Mexico, in the area known as Copper Canyon, as it is referred to in the U.S.

Unlike many indigenous people, the Tarahumara still live in relative isolation from Western society. They make their homes in caves, under cliffs and in small wood and stone cabins and are considered expert farmers and runners.

Yes, runners.

According to University of Arizona archeologist Michael Jenkinson, "The Tarahumara may be the finest natural distance runners in the world."

Matter-of-fact, the Tarahumara's running ability is legendary. They routinely run hundreds of miles on rocky terrain in home-made sandals on bare feet, yet suffer from none of the foot or hamstring problems that plague many runners in western culture.

Even more interesting, the seemingly super-human Tarahumara suffer no instances of heart disease, obesity or other degenerative diseases that plague Western civilization.

While conditioning and bio-mechanics may help to explain their running ability, how is it that the Tarahumara are able to avoid disease, and is there possibly a correlation between the Tarahumara's dietary practices and endurance performance?

To answer these questions we need to look at the Tarahumara diet itself.

According to the book The Running Indians, The Tarahumara's rely primarily on a plant-based diet that consists of complex carbohydrates (80%) and small amounts of protein and fat (10% each). The mainstay of their diet is corn, squash, beans and chili peppers, in addition to various wild plants found throughout Copper Canyon.

It is fairly well accepted in this day and age that plant-based diets rich in vegetables, whole grains, fruit and legumes decreases the risk of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and even cancer.

There is probably less awareness that this same type of diet has special advantages for endurance athletes, and may well be the key behind the Tarahumara's ability to run ultra-marathon distances on a regular basis.

Important findings that support the relationship between endurance exercise and carbohydrate ingestion include:

"Ingestion of a high carbohydrate meal 3-4 hours prior to exercise ensures adequate carbohydrate availability and enhances exercise performance." (Costill DL, Hargreaves M, Carbohydrate nutrition and fatigue. Sports Med. 1992 Feb;13(2):86-92. Review. PMID: 1561511)

"Increased dietary carbohydrate intake in the days before competition increases muscle glycogen levels and enhances exercise performance in endurance events lasting 90 min or more." (Hargreaves M, Hawley JA, Jeukendrup A. Pre-exercise carbohydrate and fat ingestion: effects on metabolism and performance. J Sports Sci. 2004 Jan;22(1):31-8. Review. PMID: 14971431)

"As carbohydrate ingestion does not slow the rate of glycogen utilization in working muscle, it is also advisable for endurance athletes to start exercise with an adequate supply of muscle glycogen, irrespective of whether or not they ingest carbohydrate during exercise." (Dennis SC, Noakes TD, Hawley JA. Nutritional strategies to minimize fatigue during prolonged exercise: fluid, electrolyte and energy replacement. J Sports Sci. 1997 June;15(3):305-13. PMID: 9232556)

Food for thought for anyone training for their next marathon.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Excuses, Excuses

2010-04-07T08:40:00.000-04:00

With beach season quickly approaching now is an excellent time to revisit your 2010 fitness goals.

While losing weight/exercising in consistently a top New Year resolution, unfortunately, within a few weeks of making these goals most folks go back to their old habits.

Why?

Well, what seem to be valid excuses can easily be dispelled so, before allowing yourself to fall off the wagon, arm yourself with these excuse-busting facts and make this summer the year you get in kick-butt shape!

Excuse #1: I don't have time.
You do not need to spend hours on end in the gym to get in to the best shape of your life. Matter-of-fact, you do not even need to belong to a gym.

While Craig has recently added 4-day/week workouts, most Turbulence Training strength training programs are 3x/week. Including cardio your weekly time commitment is around 2 hours and can easily be performed in the comfort of your home (with minimal equipment), so there is no additional time for commuting.

If you still feel that you don't have the time, consider this - people who exercise can add 3 years to their life.

Excuse #2: I am too tired.
Barring a medical condition, exercise actually will put some pep in your step!

Our bodies make energy by using oxygen to turn the calories we eat in to fuel that our bodies can use. The more efficient we are at using oxygen, the more fuel we can produce. The more fuel we have available, the more energy we have (and the more efficient we become at using that energy).

Cardiovascular exercise improves the body's ability to extract oxygen from your circulatory system and deliver it to the tissues that require it.

Even light to moderate exercise will provide you with more energy, so if you are currently fairly sedentary you will find that you will benefit greatly by taking a brisk walk once a day.

Excuse #3: It's boring.
I agree that if you do the same exercises week in and week out, it can get pretty ho-hum. You are also likely to stop seeing results, so the key is to mix it up. There is no need for exercise to be boring if you keep an open mind.

For me, this is another reason that I prefer to follow the Turbulence Training program. Craig provides at least one new workout each month (for 2010 he is promising 2 new workouts per month!). Workouts incorporate a myriad of protocols from bodyweight exercises to kettlebell workouts to medicine ball exercises.

I supplement this with a weekly spinning class and I am looking to add either martial arts or boxing to my regime.

So, let's recap. More energy, a longer life and a leaner, stronger you. Sounds like pretty compelling reasons to start working out. Oh, and let's not forget that beach season is around the corner!

So, what's your excuse?

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

But The Box Says Zero Trans Fat

2010-04-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

If you think that just because the label on the box says "zero" trans fat that you're safe from this demon of all fats, think again!

For those not quite sure how trans fat differs from other types of fat, let's start with a quick primer.

Trans fats are vegetable fats that have been chemically altered by a process called hydrogenation.

The process of hydrogenation involves adding hydrogen to liquid unsaturated fats to provide greater stability. This stability means a longer shelf life for products containing trans fat due to the fact that the hydrogenation process makes the liquid fats solid at room temperature.

While this is obviously good news for the food manufacturers, it is bad for the consumer. While our digestive system views hydrogenated fat as food, the bloodstream cannot use it. The hydrogenated fat remains in the blood stream for an extended period of time and leads to the subsequent formation of plaque which, in turn, leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The evils of trans fat have been well documented and in January 2006 it became mandatory for food manufacturer's to list how much trans fat is in their products. Today it is commonplace to see the phrase “0 Grams Trans Fat” splattered across food packaging.

However, 2 1/2 years later, what many people don’t know is that while the nutrition label may say “0 Grams Trans Fat”, the product may still actually contain trans fat.

When the Food and Drug Administration passed this regulation there was a loophole created whereas any food that contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving can say it contains "0 grams of trans fat". This enables some foods to appear much healthier than they really are.

Before you grab that box of crackers that you think may be good for you, check the ingredients listing and make certain that neither partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening are listed.

If they are, you know that product contains trans fat and you can now make an educated decision – do you really want to put that into your body?

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

5 More Fat Burning Tips For You

2010-03-31T09:10:00.003-04:00

We have just had our last deluge of rain here in the Northeast this week (4+ inches in 2 days!) and according to the weather forecast Spring weather should be sprung later this week.

Over the next few weeks I'll start changing over my closet and shopping for cute summer clothes. It's definitely the time of year when one starts to notice those little, undesirable bulges that may have accumulated over the winter months. You know ... the ones that are easy to hide under a sweater but kind of stand out like a sore thumb once the shorts and tank tops come out?

Turbulence Training Founder, Craig Ballantyne, has offered me a few fat burning tips to share with CFB readers. Nothing but common sense here gang, so we all should definitely be able to see positive results in the next few weeks by taking Craig's advice!

5 More Fat Burning Tips for You

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

At this time of year, we can use every last tip to help lose that winter weight gain so here are 5 more fat loss tips for beginner & advanced readers.

1) No liquid calories (with the exception of a post-workout drink).

Get rid of all the juices, the sodas, and the sports drinks. Liquid sugar is the last thing you need when you are trying to lose fat.

You must also limit your alcohol intake - especially if you are adding mix to drinks...that is a double calorie bomb! A single "Jack and Coke" is over 200 calories (100 calories from booze and 100 calories from mix).

2) No fast food.

Do not eat at fast food restaurants. Even if you choose what you think is healthy, remember this:

Fast food restaurants are all about profit.

And in order to profit while giving you cheap, quick, and easy to prepare foods, the quality of the food ingredients will be poor - especially the protein.

Now you might have read that you can still make healthy choices at fast food restaurants. But you know what, that's just politically-correct opinion. If it's fast food, it's poor food.

Walking into a burger joint and grabbing a chicken breast on a white bread bun with a piece of old lettuce and a half-green, half-pink tomato is "barely" healthy eating.

The politically-incorrect truth is that it's going to take time and effort to eat properly. You will have to plan, shop, and prepare healthy meals. You will have to spend time cleaning, cutting, and
cooking your food. That's the truth.

But believe me, it will taste so much better than fast food, and healthy eating will make you more alert. Eating fast food will make you feel terrible, and will make you want to have an afternoon nap at your desk.

Make one small improvement to your nutrition everyday for the rest of your life.

3) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

If you are eating 2 servings per day, then go up to 4 servings per day by the end of the week. And even if you think you are doing great by having 5 servings per day, you still need to double that (take 2-3 weeks to work your way up to 10 servings per day).

Stick with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables - organic if possible.

4) Eat 1oz of almonds or walnuts per day (1/2 oz in the AM, and the other half in the afternoon).

Most nuts are roasted in oils (possible source of trans fats), so stick to natural or dry-roasted nuts.

Don't panic...this small amount of nuts won't make you fat, but will fill you up and help you lose weight.

5) Be consistent with your workouts.

And make sure the workouts are efficient and effective. To make it easy for you to follow, stick with the Turbulence Training fat burning workout system.

It doesn't matter if you train in the morning before or after breakfast, or at night before or after dinner, or at 1pm on days when the moon is in line with Saturn...don't worry about the
details, just train consistently.

6) BONUS TIP: Go for a walk after lunch or dinner (or anytime you eat a big meal). Research shows this will help you control your cholesterol and triglycerides, plus any movement is better than sitting around watching the TV and snacking.

Improve your lifestyle everyday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Ask The Trainer

2010-03-29T07:35:00.000-04:00

We received an email this week from a reader asking whether they should perform steady-state cardio before or after strength training.

My first reaction was to ask "why" steady-state versus HIIT. Apparently this reader is already doing HIIT 2x per week, so adding a few steady-state cardio sessions is more than acceptable as there are clear cardiovascular benefits.

So, the answer to the question is that you want to perform your steady-state cardio workout post strength training, for two reasons:

1. Strength training is physically and mentally demanding. To get the most benefit out of a strength training program you want to ensure that you are lifting maximum weight. If you already burn yourself out with an extended cardio session, that is not likely to happen.

2. The metabolic boost you will obtain from strength training is going to be greater than what you'll obtain during a steady-state cardio workout. This is because when you lift heavy you are performing a high intensity, short duration activity each time you move that weight.

When you perform this type of activity, glucose (simple sugar) is your body's preferred source of fuel. As you go through your strength training routine you will gradually use up glucose stores and start mobilizing fat for energy.

By the time you're done with your strength training workout and move to cardio, you will be in optimal fat burning mode.

The bottom line is that performing cardio after strength training burns more fat and calories!

Send your fitness questions to AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Cross-Training

2010-03-22T08:40:00.001-04:00

As a follow-up to this weeks posting by Adam Kelinson, I came across a summary in the March 2010 issue of Runner's Magazine on cross-training when dealing with a running related injury.

Let's face it, there may be times whereas running is simply not an option. With that said, hopefully you consider cross-training on before an injury occurs as cross-training can help to improve overall muscle balance, increase flexibility, keep you mentally refreshed and -- keep you injury free!

It is simply a great alternative to consider for your active recovery days.

With that said, if you are using cross-training as an alternative while you recover from an injury, it's imperative that you choose a modality that will not aggravate an existing injury.

The input below comes from podiatrist Stephen Pribut.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Emperor’s New Shoes

2010-03-18T09:52:00.000-04:00

The two most important parts of the body for a triathlete are the feet. They carry one’s body weight while running to the water, act as propellers during the swim, provide a platform to pedal, and pound the ground for miles while running to the finish line. And when the race is over they bring you to the podium, car or most importantly, the post-race party!

Realizing this, the knowledge of how to preserve the integrity of one’s feet becomes paramount in getting to the starting line of the next race. Unfortunately, fashion and business have dictated the construction of footwear, which has led to the most common ailments that sports podiatrists see in athletes everyday.

The average person logs over 110,000 miles on their feet while walking during their lifetime. An athlete, particularly a triathlete can exceed this mileage within a year between regular daily activities, and training, with the difference being the force exerted on the foot during activity.

For the athlete it is three to four times the body weight of the individual. This means a 125lb female runner will exert about 500,000 lbs of force, on her feet, over every mile. Add that up over an athlete’s life and the importance of understanding how to care for ones feet is truly exemplified.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the body created such an organized matrix in each foot consisting of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles. Still 75% of all people living in the U.S experience a foot injury in their lifetime. This compared to the 3% of the population in countries that do not wear shoes. Why? The answer as Dr. Ray McClanahan, DPM, BS Ed, sports podiatrist and duathlete explains, ‘is directly caused by improper footwear,’ stating that, ‘every shoe available to us on the market is not made correctly.’

Although popular thought differs in the cause of the most commonly seen foot ailments in athletes the injuries remain the same. Dr. Lloyd Nesbitt, DPM, and former President of the Canadian Podiatric Sports Medicine Academy identifies a few of the top ones as being Plantar Fasciitis, Patello Femoral Syndrome, also known as Runner’s Knee, and Neuroma. Practically 80% of all triathletes will have experienced one of these in their career.

Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation of the ligament that runs from the heel to the ball of the foot. This is typically experienced first thing in the morning or after remaining in the same place for an extended period of time. The pain is generally felt in the heel and at times in the arch.

Runners Knee, or Patello Femoral Syndrome, is the irritation felt under the kneecap as a result of it moving from side to side. Generally, this is experienced only while running, but in severe cases can be the source of constant pain even when walking.

The third, but by no means the last of possible ailments that a triathlete might experience is, Neuroma. This is a pinched nerve that swells and normally occurs in the forefoot (extending to two of the toes). It is experienced by sharp, stabbing pains that are intermittent, (but can also cause cramping, burning, stinging or numbness).

Treatment for all of these is usually the same amongst all podiatrists. The first is to reduce the activity that is causing the pain. For a triathlete, that means you might have too spend a bit more time in the pool or on the bike if running is the problem.

The next step is RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation of the affected area. From here the treatments range from footbeds and pads, having orthotics made, to shots of cortisone and in the most extreme cases, surgery. A sports podiatrist is one of the best ways to determine what course of treatment an individual needs.

Although advanced medicine has been able to identify, name and treat these problems, it is the prevention of them that will keep a triathlete staying on their feet for the length of their career. Prevention is a long road with a fork that is very close to its beginning. With the dominant source of information coming from the manufacturers of athletic shoes, it is a simple look at basic human anatomy and structure that reveals how a shoe should really be made.

The idea of ‘heel-striking’ or ‘heel-to-toe’ running may be viewed as the fundamental problem. Dave Scott and Wes Hobson addressed this in their May 5, 2003 online chat on InsideTriathlon, both being in agreement that they do not believe in this philosophy of running. Unfortunately, this is the pretense by which running shoes are made. Dr. McClanahan identifies three major areas in athletic shoes that perpetuate this running style and its associated ailments noting, ‘9 out of 10 foot problems are a result of such design flaws.’ These are tapering toeboxes, toespring and heel elevation.

The tapering toebox is evident in almost all cycling and running shoes and as McClanahan points out, ‘there is absolutely no scientific evidence that supports a tapering toebox has any beneficial biomechanical advantage.’

Examine the structure of a baby’s foot when it is born, or better yet, look at the footprints on your own birth-certificate. You will notice that the span of toes and forefoot is wider than the rest. Toes play an important role in balance while walking and especially running. Squeezing them and the forefoot into a tapering toebox requires our bodies to compensate in other areas which subsequently leads to foot problems such as: black toenails, blisters, bursitis, heel pain and more.

Joe Umphenour, professional triathlete, illustrates this by immediately getting his feet into something ‘with a bit more space’ after a race because ‘they are so beat-up.’

In addition, shoe design keeps toes elevated above the supporting surface of the ground, called toespring, further forcing the ‘heel-to-toe’ running method. This contradicts the natural alignment of our feet and offsets the internal balancing system that the foot’s tendons operate on.

This imbalance can lead to deformities of the toes known as hammertoes, as well as problems in the lower leg and knee. Dave Scott supports this by stating this philosophy of running, ‘puts a huge load along the muscles that parallel your tibia.’

If the tapering toebox and toespring were not bad enough, add in heel elevation, and athletic shoes become a recipe for foot disaster. McClanahan identifies the problem of heel elevation by stating, ‘the most significant foot fault caused by elevated heels is that shortened posterior leg muscles pull improperly on the back of the heel to increase unnaturally the amount of flattening the arch will undergo.’

Essentially, this drastically increases pronation of the foot and ankle, which has been known to induce the majority of foot problems. To compensate, shoe companies created motion-control technology for heel design. Unfortunately, stabilizing the heel only makes the foot weaker and does not allow the ankle to strengthen and develop properly. Think about having your foot in a cast, does all that loss of motion make it stronger? The answer is an easy, No.

Consequently, proper shoe fitting is the most important preventive measure an athlete can take to ensure the integrity of their feet. The first step in doing so as Dr. Nesbitt suggests is to ‘align yourself with a store that employs a knowledgeable fitting service.’

Dr. McClanahan agrees and says your foot should be ‘measured for both length and width.’ This is not only the length from heel to toe but also the length of the arch, from heel to the ball of the foot. He does add that this ‘is only scratching the surface.’

Every athlete should visit a sports podiatrist for a full exam to help identify any deficiencies. But there are a few general guidelines to help find the right fit for your athletic shoes.

For running, you should have a ½ inch space from the tip of your longest toe to the front of the shoe. Also, the shoe should bend at the ball of the foot very easily. Finding a shoe that does not have one of the above-mentioned features will be very difficult and as a result McClanahan performs ‘surgery’ on the athletes shoes that he works with by widening the toebox and grinding down the heel. As a result, his athletes have not only eliminated foot problems but have also increased their performance.

Cycling is a bit different although a lot of the design flaws are the same. Miles Romanow, service manager at Bikehampton in Sag Harbor, N.Y fits between 2 and 3 dozen cycling shoes per week and suggests a (‘comfortable fit’) for riding. ‘A cycling shoe should hold and support your foot, with (about) 2-3mm of space from your toes to the front of the shoe,’ says Miles. Reason being is that while pedaling you do not want your foot slipping back and forth, adding ‘you also want zero heel slippage.’ (Otherwise, make sure that your toes have the space they need.)

Miles has heard a host of foot injuries from his clients and relayed one story in particular about a guy who thought cramming his toes together would produce more speed, but all he saw were calluses between his toes and red feet.

Socks, footbeds and orthotics can also play a role in shoe fitting. ‘Cotton Kills,’ is an old adage that outdoor athletes live by for their clothes, but for some reason does not make it down to the socks. Wicking moisture away from the skin can prevent a host of foot problems from blisters, to fungus, and warts. Cotton socks do nothing but promote an environment for this to happen. A wool or synthetic blend is your best option here.

Footbeds can also help as Joe Umphenour feels that his footbeds allow him to run even though he has a partially fused ankle joint. Orthotics is another option but one really needs to see a specialist to determine their necessity.

Africans are the dominant runners of today and they come from a country that is not a shoe wearing population. As a result they run from the mid-foot and not heel-to-toe. Changing one’s ways can be difficult, especially for an athlete, but preserving foot integrity should be part of training 101.

The persistence of foot injuries today lends no support to the way athletic shoes are made. Only personal experience and specialists who are also athletes can encourage and help change the way shoes are constructed. In doing so, an athlete can that they will stay on their feet for their lifetime.

If a shoe does not fit correctly, even the most technological bells, whistles, straps and snaps won’t guarantee anything—except sore feet. It is difficult to provide a single method of finding the right fit, but there is one iron-clad guideline that all foot professionals espouse. “Make sure that you are fitted by someone who understands the biomechanics of feet,” says Karen Schwartz, a Certified Pedorthist and owner of Sage to Summit, a running store in Bishop, California.
Here are some guidelines for finding a proper shoe that Dr. Ray McClanahan suggests:

- Purchase shoes in the evening or post-run to ensure a proper fit. Feet tend to swell during runs and throughout the course of the day.

- Make sure you have a snug heel and instep and that there is plenty of wiggle room for your toes. There should be about one half inch from the

- A good running shoe should bend easily at the ball of the foot.

- Tapering Toe Boxes. Some toe boxes taper so abruptly that they compress the toes together. “There is no scientific evidence that indicates that a tapering toe box has any biomechanical advantage,” says McClanahan. “Our toes play an extremely important role in our sense of balance—especially when trail running.” How to tell: remove the shoe’s insoles and stand on them, with socks that you intend to wear while running. Spread your toes apart. No part of your foot should extend beyond the insole.

- Heel Elevation. Look out for a shoe heel that is elevated above the ground. This can contribute to problems similar to those caused by an elevated toe box.

- Toe Spring. The shoe’s toebox is sometimes elevated so far above the ground that it creates uneven distribution of force between the tendons on the top and bottom of the foot. This leads to unequal strength of the tendons between the two and along with a tapering toe box and heel elevation causes deformities such as hammer toes.

Keeping a low profile- Paul Langer, a podiatrist and running-store owner from Minneapolis, Minnesota, notes, “The foot has better proprioception [the process by which the foot’s tendons and muscles quickly adapt to changing terrain] and stability if it remains closer to the ground. Elevating the foot from the ground increases the risk of ankle sprains and makes the foot less able to adapt to uneven terrain.”

The above article was written by Adam Kelinson, a professional chef, three-time Ironman, and the founder of Organic Performance, a nutrition consulting company.

I worked with Adam's brother for years, and he kept telling me, 'Susan, I really need to introduce you to my brother ... you have so much in common.' Well, thankfully that introduction was made and I feel very honored to have had Adam submit a guest posting.

Adam has cooked and consulted for athletes, celebrities, and business executives. He has written on diet and nutrition for TrailRunner, Inside Triathlon, xtri.com, Dietwatch.com, and is the Nutritional Director for the Silverman Full Distance Triathlon. Most recently, Adam has written The Athlete's Plate: Real Food for High Performance, a no-nonsense cookbook that makes it easy to eat well and healthy.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

31 New Bootcamp Workouts

2010-03-16T09:38:00.003-04:00

The Turbulence Training Bootcamp Workouts were so popular over the past year, Craig decided to go back to the drawing board to create 31 brand new Bootcamp Workouts.

Everyone can use these workouts, whether you are beginner to advanced,and even personal trainers can use them in their Bootcamp classes.

You'll get proven Turbulence Training Bootcamp style workouts that will burn fat with little to no equipment.

Here are just some of the 31 TT Bootcamp Workouts you'll get:

1. The TT Beginner Bootcamp 2K10
2. The TT Physical Testing Bootcamp
3. The TT Big 7 Circuit Bootcamp
4. The 3-Part TT for Abs Bootcamp Workout Series
5. The 3-Part TT Booty Bootcamp Workout Series
6. The 3-Part TT Adrenaline Bootcamp Workout Series (Advanced!)
7. The TT Bootcamp 300 Workout Challenge
8. The 3-Part TT Beach Body Bootcamp Workout Series
9. TT Metabolic Resistance Circuit Bootcamps
10. The TT Fusion Bootcamp
11. The TT Transformation Bootcamp
12. The TT Fusion Bootcamp

Plus, for personal trainers, you'll get 4 amazing bootcamp business building interviews with top bootcamp experts, Bedros Keuilian,Steve Hochman, Chris McCombs, and Craig's personal favorite, an interview with Leanne Ellington.

To celebrate the initial release of these new Bootcamp workouts there is a $20 discount available only through Thursday, March 18 at midnight.

There are less than 3 days left to take advantage of this discount, so if you're interested now is the time to get the complete TT Bootcamp 2.0 Workout System.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Note: Because I feel strongly about the value of this product, CFB is an affiliate for Turbulence Training. This means that should you choose to purchase this product via a link on CFB, a small stipend is paid by the manufacturer. Today, all money generated as a result of these affiliate marketing efforts is re-invested back into CFB.

Monday, March 15

2010-03-10T11:04:00.009-05:00

Snappy title to today's posting, eh? That's what happens when you sit down to write and random thoughts just start flowing. This is definitely one of the impromptu postings that is a result of trying to figure out my exercise game plan for this week.

I’ve been sticking to my machine-based workouts as instructed by Martial Art Hall of Fame inductee Scott Sonnon.

I have to admit that as much as I went in to this process kick and screaming (really, a machine-based workout?), I’m seeing results and not having the physical issues I was dealing with as I continue to rehab from my vestibular disorder.

I’ve also gotten great guidance from one of Scott’s faculty members, Coach Ryan Murdock. Coach Murdock along with Coach Adam Steer have been putting out some great bodyweight exercise tips that I plan on using this week, as I'm away from home with no access to a gym.

I may or may not be able to do these depending on how they impact my vestibular symptoms, but I’m definitely going to be playing around with a few of the Bodyweight Coach tips that Coach Steer recently shared with Craig Ballantyne, founder of Turbulence Training:

1. For maximum metabolic effect, do this "Top Down" bodyweight circuit:

- 30 seconds Push Ups
- 30 seconds V-ups
- 30 seconds Jump Squats without rest.

Do 3-5 of these circuits with 30 seconds rest between each circuit.

2. Use bodyweight "drop sets" for a brutal workout. Try this:

Do 30-60 seconds of a wall sit, then go straight into 10-12 reps of alternating rear lunges. The wall sit toast your quads, but the lunges add some help from the glutes and hams so you can keep going a bit longer.

3. Super heroes don't ignore their lats--the big muscles in your back--and neither should you. No equipment, no problem. Incorporate The Superman in to your workout:

Start in either a standard push up position or from the knees. Then walk your hands out overhead as far as you can go and hold. The lats have to do some serious work to maintain that position.

4. Have some fun with your bodyweight training.

Start by picking your 5 favorite bodyweight exercises.

You'll do one rep of each--that's one round of your "Flow"--and then return to the start without rest. But don't just throw the exercises together.

Spend some time playing with the transitions and reordering the exercises until you've got the smoothest "Flow" you can create.

Great summary by Craig of Coach Steer's tips.

So, I'll let you know what I decide on and keep you posted on how it goes. I'll definitely be incorporating 2 days of active recovery in to my workout (I brought my Flow DVDs with me) and will likely play around with a few of Coach Steer's bodyweight movements.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Note: Because I feel strongly about the value of these products, CFB is an affiliate for Turbulence Training and BodyWeight Coach. This means that should you choose to purchase these products via a link on CFB, a small stipend is paid by the manufacturer. Today, all money generated as a result of these affiliate marketing efforts is re-invested back into CFB.

Understanding EPOC

2010-03-10T10:39:00.000-05:00

Often referred to as “after-burn”, EPOC stands for excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. It is the actual amount of energy (calories) that the body continues to burn post-exercise.

I speak often about high intensity interval training (HIIT) on Catapult Fitness Blog. HIIT is done by alternating brief periods or high intensity work (85% or more) with a brief recovery period. HIIT is an example of an anaerobic exercise, which means that an inadequate amount of oxygen is being delivered to working muscles during the course of the exercise.

When inadequate oxygen is available lactic acid is produced. Lactic acid is what gives you that burning feeling during a workout. It leads to muscle fatigue and must be burned up by the body during a recovery period before another anaerobic bout of exercise can be attempted. This recovery period also allows the muscles to use oxygen to replenish the energy used during HIIT.

Conversely, aerobic or “steady-state” exercise uses oxygen at a constant rate with no accumulation of lactic acid.

While both anaerobic and aerobic exercise burn calories and create some EPOC effect, EPOC increases dramatically with intensity thus making anaerobic exercise a more effective means for fat loss.

A commentary in the December 9, 2005 of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined aerobic and anaerobic energy expenditure for two exercise tasks of equal work using a treadmill.

The results of the study showed that the steady-state exercise tends to burn more calories during the actual exercise than interval training, while interval training generates a higher EPOC leading to a much larger number of total calories burned.

Ultimately, HIIT results in significantly more calories burned in a much condensed period of exercise.

This is not to say that steady-state cardio does not have a place in your workout routine. Interval training should be limited to 2 – 3 times per week to lessen the risk of injury and allow for an adequate recovery period.

Steady-state cardio on the other hand can be performed daily, depending on duration and intensity level.

There are a myriad of HIIT exercises that can be found on the Web.

Hopefully you can use this information to maximize your workouts and turn your body into a fat burning machine!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Building An Olympic Champion

2010-03-08T21:39:00.004-05:00

I've been watching a repeat of the 2009 Alpine Skiing World Cup on Universal Sports this evening and found it absolutely amazing how Lindsey Vonn is able to obliterate the competition.

Mind you, while she won the overall 2009 World Cup, she actually only placed first in 2 downhills last year -- Lake Louise, Canada and the race I just watched in Are, Sweden (the last downhill event of 2009). The race in Are, Sweden was the start of good things for Lindsey who to date has won 6 downhill events in 2010, not including her Olympic Gold.

I've been more than curious in regards to what Lindsey's workout entails and after a bit of digging came across this video:

A note of caution: Unstable surface training is risky business if you don't know what you're doing. Don't try some of this at home kids! However, there's plenty that you can take away from this video, not the least being that if you want to be the best you need to put in the sweat!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Eat Healthy Without Breaking The Bank

2010-03-05T10:47:00.003-05:00

I've been spending a considerable amount of time answering questions on the Jillian Michael's message forum recently and one issue that keeps popping up is not being able to afford to eat healthy.

As one poster wrote: I don't make very much money right now and I don't have the funds to buy healthy groceries. I don't want to fail this time, what should I do?

Fact is, you can eat healthy and cost effectively by being a savvy shopper and spending a little time in the kitchen.

Yes, it takes some work and is certainly not as simple as take-out or 'convenience food', but it will be well worth the effort not only from a weight loss perspective, but for your general health as well.

Guidelines include:

1. Don't worry about eating organic. While organic fruits and vegetables are best since they probably have a higher micronutrient count, any fruits and veggies are better than none! Make sure to get plenty of fruits and veggies in your diet before worrying if they're organic or not.

2. Find a local food co-op in your area. Food co-ops are member run, non-profit organizations that provide you with access to quality, locally grown food at a good value. There are typically nominal fees to join (often based on your income level) and many accept food stamps. You can find a listing of local food co-ops at www.localharvest.org .

3. Buy in-season and be flexible. While not necessarily certified organic, local farmer markets carry fruits and vegetables that may still be pesticide free since these foods are not traveling great distances. Here's a listing of the least expensive fruits and vegetables by month - Cheapest Produce

4. Consider buying frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables have the same nutritional benefits as their conventional, fresh counter-parts at a fraction of the cost. Look for sales and coupons.

5. Invest in a crock-pot. Because slow-cookers cook at a low temperature you can use less-costly, flavorful cuts of meat as the cooking process will tenderize them over the course of several hours. Just make certain to blanch or saute vegetables prior to adding to the crock-pot so that they maintain their vitamins and trace minerals. Another benefit - dinner is ready when you get home so you're less likely to be bringing home "take-out" or grazing while you're waiting for dinner to cook.

6. Grow your own vegetables. Summer is around the corner so if you have the space, think about creating your own vegetable garden. Even if you live in an apartment as I do, you can grow plenty of herbs right on your windowsill.

7. Buy items in bulk. Healthy items that can be purchased in bulk include dehydrated beans (a great substitute for meat if you're looking to cut your food budget!), raw nuts in shells, frozen vegetables, skinless chicken breasts, canned tuna or salmon, quinoa, couscous. While there is a greater up-front cost to buying bulk, the price per pound of typically substantially lower. Also, keep in mind that buying in bulk isn't only for food products -- you can save money by purchasing bulk household items such as toilet paper, shampoo and laundry detergent.

8. Be a coupon clipper/look for sales. I'm not suggesting you become one of those individuals who spends hour upon hour scouring the Net for grocery coupons, but clipping coupons from the Sunday paper and checking your grocery store flier simply makes good sense. Plan your meals around products that are on sale and stock up on non-perishable and frozen goods when there is a bargain to be had.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Fish Oil Supplementation

2010-03-03T08:03:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I addressed Essential Fatty Acids and their importance in our diet. I also mentioned at the end of that posting that I made the decision to make a change in regards to my fish oil supplementation.

Here’s why …

As noted in the July 8 Nutrition Tip Of The Week , Dr. John Berardi recommends starting with 6 grams of fish oil supplementation each day, and assume that 30% are EPA + DHA (Omega-3).

That means that your goal should be to consume approximately 1800 mg of Omega-3 on a daily basis.

Now let’s take a look at what I consider to be three quality brands of fish oil and the cost associated with consuming 1800 mg of Omega-3 on a daily basis:

Life Extension Super Omega-3 1000 mg; $24/120 soft gels; 600 mg Omega-3 per soft gel; $0.60 per 1800 mg

Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 1000 mg; $41.60/120 soft gels; 640 mg Omega-3 per soft gel; $1.04 per 1800 mg

Carlson Laboratories Super Omega-3 Fish Oil; $34.16/250 soft gels; 500 mg Omega-3 per soft gel; $0.55 per 1800 mg

My Fish Oil of choice was Nordic Naturals. Once I sat down and did the math I made the decision to switch to Life Extension. Both are what I believe to be quality products so for me it was about saving a few dollars.

Remember, it’s just as important to read the labels on your supplementation products as it is on packaging at the grocery store!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Essential Fatty Acids

2010-03-01T09:40:00.002-05:00

I've stumbled upon alot of research recently regarding Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), including how long chain omega-3 fatty acids modulate hunger signals.

More on that later. In the meantime, as a primer, an essential nutrient is

- Required by the body for proper function and,

- One that cannot be made in sufficient quantities by the body and thus must be obtained through ones diet

The Essential Fatty Acids include

alpha-linoleic acid
linolenic acid

Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) as well as the fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) belongs to a group of fatty acids called omega-3 acids. EPA and DHA are found primarily in fish while ALA is highly concentrated in certain plant oils such as flaxseed oil and, to a lesser extent, canola, soy and walnut oils.

Most omega-6 fatty acids are consumed in the diet from vegetable oils as linolenic acid (LA).

While the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 should be close to 1:1, the typical North American diet has ratios now over 10:1 due to the addition of corn, sunflower, safflower, and sesame oils to our food supply.

Consequently, this shift is thought by many to be a factor in a number of chronic medical conditions including arthritis, cardiovascular disease, asthma, acne, depression and even obesity.

According to a recent study published in the November 2008 issue of Appetite, 232 overweight and obese volunteers were provided with a calorie restricted, balanced diet. Participants were randomly assigned to take a low dose of omega-3 (260 mg/day) or a high dose of omega-3 (1300 mg/day) supplement for a period of 2-weeks.

Those who received the high dose of omega-3 maintained a better level of satiety immediately following meals as well as two hours post-meal. Blood tests showed not only a higher concentration of omega-3 in these individuals, but an improved omega-3 to omega-6 ratio as well.

If you're one of those individuals who is hungry 20 minutes following a meal, consider adding more omega-3 rich foods to your diet!

Foods with high levels of omega-3 include:

Salmon
Scallops
Sardines
Shrimp
Cod
Flaxseeds
Walnuts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Romaine Lettuce
Broccoli

Back in July 2008, our Nutrition Tip Of The Week highlighted fish oil supplementation.

Coming later this week is a posting on why I changed my fish oil supplementation brand, and why you may want to reconsider your supplementation as well!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Book Review: Pure Physique

2010-02-25T08:26:00.004-05:00

I had the opportunity to preview Pure Physique, a book written by Certified Personal Trainer and natural bodybuilder Michael Lipowski.

If you take one look at Michael (that's his picture, over on the right), you would have to assume that this man knows a thing or two about fitness.

My initial impression of the book upon fanning through the pages however was not positive. Very wide margins and minimal graphics led me to question whether or not I would garner anything of value from this read. I’m somewhat of a research geek, and most of what I read in regards to fitness and nutrition is filled with charts and graphs and a ton of end notes.

It took a few hours to read the book cover to cover and overall I thought the content was good, but I was also left feeling that some individuals may feel let down by this read if they're looking for someone to hand-feed them a workout and diet plan.

There is really a lot that I like about Pure Physique. The author stresses the importance of many of my favorite topics including rest and recovery, setting realistic goal expectations, measuring progress beyond the scale and the importance of number crunching in regards to nutrition.

Again, if you’re looking for specific training programs or meal plans, this is not the book for you.

The best way to look at Pure Physique is as a blueprint that will enable you to continually modify your time in the gym to meet your changing needs (goals). With that in mind, I feel this is really a pretty good primer for anyone interested in learning how to create individualized workout programs.

Chapters include:

- Getting the Proper Perspective on Training
- The Components of a Training Program
- Creating an Effective Training Program
- Performing
- Aerobic Exercise
- Use Goals to Get You There
- Nutrition: Fat loss and Muscle Gain
- Physiological Aspects: Where the Real Training Begins
- Peak Conditioning: Looking Your Very Bet on the Day it Counts

One of my favorite components of this book is how it stresses the importance of focusing training on quality versus quantity. Michael stresses the value of structuring workouts in a way that will allow you to produce the best results in the least amount of time.

You can take the information you learn from this text to pinpoint the best workout program to help you meet your goal, be it Turbulence Training, TACFIT Commando, Circular Strength Training, Stronglifts, Eric Cressey’s Maximum Strength Training, et al.

Remember, give a man/woman a fish and they eat for a day. Teach them to fish and they eat for a lifetime!

Pure Physique is available for pre-order on Amazon.com and will begin shipping March 1, 2010.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Reality Check

2010-02-24T08:52:00.004-05:00

I started last week super excited about the TACFIT Commando Workout. Monday and Wednesday I completed both the Mobility and Compensation workouts with little problem. Wednesday evening some of my vestibular symptoms started to settle in and I found myself in bed most of the day on Thursday.

After a not-so-great Friday morning I started feeling better in the afternoon and decided to stay on track and hit my moderate intensity TACFIT workout. I had my @$$ handed to me. I got halfway through my fourth set of the Program 1 workout (an exercise called “sit thru knee”) and had to stop as my symptoms started to roar.

So, I posed the question to Coach Sonnon, ‘where do I go from here?’ His advice pretty much left me hanging with my jaw down to the floor.

Being that I’m dealing with a balance disorder, until my symptoms further dissipate, Coach Sonnon recommends that I use a traditional “machine” oriented bodybuilding routine.

Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I used one of the Cybex machines at my gym. Well, actually, I do … it’s when I was recovering from foot surgery.

As Coach pointed out, while this is antithetical to what he normally preaches, it’s based on a specific needs assessment – “ Machine strength training is perfect for those in rehab in helping move accessory tissues to that focus on re-strengthening and growth can concentrate in an area.”

"Needs assessment".

After my initial shock, Coaches recommendation made a ton of sense. By using machine training I minimize my rotational movement which in effect will minimize my symptom activation. I’m less likely to lose my balance and thus I minimize injury.

It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize that this is an ideal means for me to start to rebuild lost muscle, yet I couldn’t make this assessment on my own. The reason why is clearly ego.

The lesson learned? For me it's basically practice what I preach which is to select an exercise modality that will enable you to accomplish your goal at a given point in time.

Train hard; stay strong; train smart!

Peace.

Susan

Winter Olympic Style Workout

2010-02-20T08:29:00.002-05:00

Credit for this goes 100% to Craig Ballantyne! It's an AWESOME workout and I love the tie-in to the Winter Olympic Games since I've been watching them basically non-stop for the past week.

Personally, I think Craig needs to market a Wii Fit version of this routine :) Take a look and let me know if you agree!

Moguls Warm-up

I chose the moguls for warm-up, because that’s where the skiers do all those crazy moves and look really mobile. One of the coolest events, for sure.

1. Jumping Jacks – 20 reps
2. Duck Unders – 6 reps per side
(You’ll step to the side squat down and duck under as you move)
3. Stickups – 10 reps
4. Seal Jumps – 20 reps
(These are like jumping jacks, but cross your arms in front of you)
5. Push-ups -10 reps
(Let’s pretend you wiped out so you have to do push-ups to get back up)

Next, we move into the first event…

The Ski Jump

Do a 10 second hold in the bottom of squat and then do a vertical jump.
Repeat 3 times, then move to…

The Downhill Ski Race

1 Long Jump
10 Body weight Squats
1 Long Jump
6 Walking Diagonal Lunges per side
1 Long Jump
20-30 second squat hold in bottom position
Repeat 3 times.

Next up, we move to Speed Skating Strength Training

1. Skater Jumps or Lateral Lunges – 8 reps per side
(Beginners must do the lateral lunges)
2. Spiderman Push-ups or Elevated Push-ups – 8 reps per side
(Let’s pretend we’ve had another wipe-out…so we need to do some push-ups to practice getting up)
3. 1-leg Squats or Reverse Lunges – 12 reps per side
(Beginners must do the reverse lunges)

Take a water break here, and then move to more strength training, this time courtesy of a weird sport…Curling.

The Curling Strength Circuit

1. Lunges – 15 reps per side (you can use weights if you want)
2. Spiderman Climbs – 10 reps per side
3. Close-grip Push-ups – 20 reps
4. Biceps Curls – 10 reps per side
(Why curls? Because curlers love to drink beer, so you can do dumbbell curls to practice for post-game beverages) [note: I just want to point out that I didn't write this stuff! Craig did :) ]

Take another water break.

Optional: Hockey Strength Circuit (Use dumbbells or kettlebells)

1. Split squat – 8 reps per side
(to build strong skating muscles)
2. 1-Arm Standing Shoulder Press – 8 reps per side
(to practice raising your stick in the air after you score a goal)
3. DB Row – 8 reps per side
(to strengthen your upper body & grip for hockey fights)

Figure Skating Body Weight Strength Circuit

Now we combine bodyweight exercises for strength and finesse…

1. Reaching Lunge – 10 reps per side
2. 1-Leg Romanian dead-lift – 8 reps per side
3. Push-up or Dip or Overhead Press – 8 reps

Take another water break.

Sliding Sports Circuit (bobsled & luge)

1. Bobsled Push – 20 seconds
(For this, you’ll need a “prowler sled” or a punching bag or weight plate that can be pushed across the floor to simulate the start of the bobsled race…or you could just do a 20 second sprint)

2. Stability Ball Plank or Plank – 45 seconds
(to simulate holding your body in the luge position)

3. Side Planks – 25 seconds per side

Next up, the plain ol’ weird Biathlon (a combination of cross-country skiing and shooting). We’ll modify it so that we do:

1. Shuttle Sprints – 15 seconds
2. Plank – 60 seconds

And if possible, add in some type of skill component to simulate the shooting…maybe shoot some basketball free throws…or shoot a Supersoaker at a target on the wall…no wait, bad idea.

But I’m sure you can come up with something. (Safety first!) [Note: I'm thinking it's time to get out the old waste paper basket and a few wads of paper.]

So, that's it. I really think this is a pretty fun workout and it can be done with minimal equipment.

If you like this workout and want more bootcamp workout ideas check out Craig's Turbulence Training Bootcamp Workouts. While he's promoted this towards Personal Trainers, I think it's one of the most economical, kick-butt workouts you can find in the marketplace (7-months of workouts for under $5 per workout).

Train hard; stay strong; watch the Olympics and be inspired!

Peace.

Susan

Are Your Serious About Getting Fit? Stop Exercising.

2010-02-19T09:26:00.000-05:00

Clearly, I'm not suggesting that you never exercise, but in this day and age where it seems more folks choose to over-train, recovery is highly under-rated.

As I kicked off this week with the TACFIT Commando Workout it was refreshing to 'get to work' by actually doing two active recovery workouts. Yes, 2 of the 4 days per week that you dedicate to TACFIT are actually focused on recovery.

Scott Sonnon's philosophy behind this is that high performance can only reach a sustainable balance when you balance hard-core intensity with active recovery. This allows trainees to obtain peak performance while remaining injury free -- a must for the tactical responders (soldiers, fireman, bodyguards, et al) this program was designed for.

Brilliant!

There are plenty of people who feel that they must get to the gym 5 - 6 times each week, even if it's 'just' to run a few miles on the treadmill. There's even one person on the DailyBurn.com message forum who insists on spending 5 hours at the gym every other day(!!!)

These are likely the same individuals who are or who soon will be dealing with chronic injuries.

My vestibular disorder forces me to take 2 - 3 days/week of passive rest. With that said, I feel everyone can benefit by incorporating both passive and active rest in to their weekly workout schedule.

Minimally, consider adding 1 full day of passive rest. This is a great opportunity to refresh your body with a massage or a long soak in a tub.

You should also incorporate 1 - 2 days of active rest which can include yoga or very light cardio.

While it may seem counter-intuitive, taking a few days off each week and engaging in both active and passive recovery will enhance recovery between workouts (both physically and mentally) and keep you on track for achieving your fitness goals.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Nicole's Journey

2010-02-16T09:29:00.000-05:00

I wanted to update CFB readers on our 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest participant, Nicole.

Due to a health issue, we decided it was in Nicole's best interest to suspend her participation from the 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest.

We view this as nothing more than a temporary set-back. Nicole is fully committed to picking up where she left off once the 8th TT Transformation Contest kicks off this spring/summer.

I have no doubt that she'll be back better than ever!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Going Commando

2010-02-15T08:29:00.003-05:00

Ok, this isn't what you're thinking.

I've decided to give a new workout a try and yes, all undergarments will remain intact.

After a month of getting my butt back in gear with the Turbulence Training Hardcore Fat Loss Workout, I was contemplating my next routine when I came across Scott Sonnon's TACFIT Commando Workout.

I first came across Scott Sonnon several years ago when a friend introduced me to Clubbell training (hmmm, it may be time to pick up that Clubbell again as well).

Scott is one super-cool dude. According to his Wikipedia listing he keeps himself busy as a tactical fitness coach, counter-terrorism and USA national martial art team coach, yoga guru, and wellness speaker known for training the Israeli counter-terrorism school LOTAR. If that wasn't enough he also trains many of the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts fighters such as Albert Crane, Jorge Rivera, Andrei Arlovski and Elvis Sinosic. His fitness system, Circular Strength Training, has been adopted as the official exercise approach for the U.S. Army.

Oh, and did I mention that he's absolutely ripped?

But I digress.

After reading the many positive reviews of the TACFIT Commando Workout I decided to bite the bullet and order the materials. There were a few things in-particular that really grabbed my attention:

- This is a bodyweight only program that uses a variation of the Tabata protocol. In other words, the workouts are short, but brutal.

- Because it's bodyweight only, I can do this workout anywhere, which is extremely handy since I'll be spending a few weeks away from home in March.

- These are not your Daddy's (or Mama's) bodyweight exercises. I've never seen or heard of many of the exercises included in this workout and have spent time this weekend learning some of the movements.

- There's no guess-work. As with other Scott Sonnon products, the TACFIT Commando Workout is absolutely turn-key and includes a manual, instructional video that explains how to execute the core exercises in detail, and follow-along videos for each exercise session (known as a "mission"). Very cool is the ability to download the follow-along video to an ipod in addition to a recordable DVD.

So, later today I being my first mission at the entry level ("recruit"). This is a 4-day/week program that includes a

- Mobility workout
- Compensation workout
- Moderate intensity workout
- High intensity workout

If I survive the next 28-days I'll be moving on to Mission #2. To graduate from "recruit" to "grunt" means completing 84-days of workouts and meeting minimum thresholds. Trainees are expected to step up and conquer each training day. A status quo workout is unacceptable.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit to feeling as if I may have bitten off more than I can chew, but time will tell. It's definitely time for a challenge!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Note: Catapult Fitness Blog is not a TACFIT affiliate. Our only affiliate relationships are with programs/products that have been tried, tested and approved by CFB. Being that I am just starting this program, it would be remiss for me to officially promote it at this time. Over the course of the next 84-days I'll keep you posted on how these workouts go and my overall thoughts on the program.

You can learn more about TACFIT by visiting their marketing page - http://www.tacfitcommando.com/ If any CFB readers are using TACFIT, I'd love to hear your input.

Happy Ballentyne Day!

2010-02-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

Just a quick posting this Valentine's Day as a response to several emails I have received the past couple of months from CFB readers looking for more Kettlebell workouts ...

Craig Ballantyne has just released the 15-minute TT Kettlebell Express Workout, developed by Chris Lopez, CSCS, Certified Turbulence Trainer and founder of KettlebellWorkouts.com

Existing Turbulence Training members now have immediate access to this 3-day/week strength program.

Enjoy the day!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Note: Because I feel strongly about the value of these products, CFB is an affiliate for Turbulence Training and KettlebellWorkouts.com. This means that should you choose to purchase these products via a link on CFB, a small stipend is paid by the manufacturer. Today, all money generated as a result of these affiliate marketing efforts is re-invested back into CFB.

Heather's Workout

2010-02-10T11:19:00.005-05:00

If you had the chance to read the iSkin DuoBand review last week you know that Heather, a personal trainer based out of Nova Scotia, Canada, put the DuoBand through some pretty vigorous workouts.

Two of those workouts along with Heather's personal playlist are below. Prepare to push the limits!

Heather's Workout #1

Warm up: 5 minutes jump rope

8 dead hang wide grip pull ups (assisted, if necessary)
20 military style push-ups
30 sumo squat jumps
20 dropsy's (10 per leg)
20 1-legged static stand on bosu w/ bicep curls (10 per leg)
1 min plank hold

Repeat circuit 2x - move on to next set:

- 8 dead hang chin ups
- 25 double KB swings (30 lbs)
- 20 2 foot bench hop ups/downs
- 8 half squat w/ bicep curls (olympic bar or 45 lbs)
- 15 bosu butts (olympic bar set on back/shoulders-squat all the way down til butt hits bosu-squat back up)
- 15 rock-a-weight (I made this name up - see this link for demonstration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkc_MODL45Q)

Repeat circuit 2x

Heather's Workout #2

Warm up 5-12 minutes w/ increasing intensity...

Treadmill: 5 minutes @ incline 3.0 speed 6.5-7.0
6-7 min incline 3.o speed 7.5
7-8 min. incline 3.0 speed 8.5
8-8:30 min incline 3.0 speed 9.
8:30-9:00 min. incline 3.0 speed 9.5
9:00-9:30 min. incline 3.0 speed 10.0
10-12 min. recover choice of incline/speed (6.5-7.0 speed)

- 20 DB Chest Press @ 20 lbs ea (using SB or bench)
- 6 Stability Ball (SB) Push ups (1 hand per ball/feet on bench)
- 30 lying leg lifts
- 20 SB jackknifes
- 30 KB Swings (30 lbs)
- 30 KB Lunge Pass Throughs (15 each leg) (20 lbs) (like bouncing a basketball between legs only using a KB and no bounce :)
- 50 Leg Press @ 80 lbs
- 10 wall walks (here for demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7DaRCQh0lY&feature=PlayList&p=4171DE8B6FDDC7E3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=4)
- 1 min wall walk plank hold (feet pressed against wall)
- 30 s - 1 min jab punches (3-5 lbs)
- 1 min. jump rope

Repeat circuit 2 - 3x

Cool Down/Stretch

Playlist:

RockStar - Frederic De Carvalho & Gooseflesh
Pretend (Original Mix) - Fukkk Offf
Supersonic - Family Force 5
Love Addict - Family Force 5
Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace
This Hearts On Fire - Wolf Parade
Do It Again - Chemical Brothers
Money - David Guetta
Jump n Twist - Freestylers feat. Pendulum
Beautiful Lies - B Complex

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Nicole's Journey: Part 5

2010-02-08T10:15:00.004-05:00

Start date: 12/27/2009
Starting weight: 240 lbs
Current weight: 236 lbs

So I'm down another 3 pounds this week. YAY!!! It feels good to see results, it really does. I have still been staggering my calories throughout the week as Susan suggested and so far that has proven to help as the results on the scale are showing.

I began the Turbulence Training workout for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks this week on Wednesday and really enjoyed the change. It's nice to have the workouts all planned out in advance. I had a bit of a hectic schedule last week and it was lifesaver to be able to get all my workouts done in such a short amount of time. With the ability to do it at home, I really have no excuse at all!

So the Superbowl was yesterday and I spent part of the morning preparing food to take with me to watch the game. It's so easy to make bad choices where food is concerned when it's right there in front of you! Not for me - I was more than happy with what I brought to snack on.

I hope everyone has a great week. Train hard, I know I will be!!

Nicole

Gear Review - iSkin DuoBand

2010-02-04T15:36:00.010-05:00

I was thrilled when offered the chance to review the new iSkin DuoBand as many CFB readers have asked if I could recommend an armband for keeping iPods safe and secure during workouts.

The good news is, if you are the owner of an iPod nano (4th or 5th generation), you're in luck. For the rest of us, the search continues.

Having an iTouch, I shipped the iSkin DuoBand I received off to good friend, and Nova Scotia based personal trainer extraordinaire, Heather, PES, NASM, M.Sc., who I knew would put this puppy through some serious testing.

It turns out that Heather is not only a kick-butt personal trainer (did I mention she's responsible for training the Canadian Coast Guard?), but a fabulous reviewer as well!

If you're a nano owner, definitely give this review a once over. For the rest of us, let's hope that the folks over at iSkin come out with options for the rest of us.

...

The iSkin DuoBand made to fit Apple's iPod nano claims to have been created to accompany just about any activity that comes to mind.

As an active individual, I was excited when a friend asked me to put the iSkin DuoBand to the test. Breathing life in to the product's claims, the iSkin DuoBand became an extension of my own body.

Over the course of 14 days, the DuoBand accompanied me on my left arm during every workout, during every snowboard hill and terrain park run, during every yoga class, meditation, basketball and soccer shoot around and of course, during every outdoor run. It's also winter here in Canada so environmental exposure and harsh winter elements also had their chance to test the protective components of the DuoBand.

First Impressions

Coming neatly packaged, the DuoBand had a great look in the box. Upon opening it however, my first thoughts were not immediately positive. I had never heard of, seen or knew anything about this product. Up until this point, I have been extremely partial to another armband which "houses" the nano in a sleeve, fastened with a Velcro underpinning strip ensuring a perfect, seamless and worry-free fit.

While initially looking over the iSkin DuoBand and noticing how it seemed as though the iPod needed to be 'clipped' in; I thought no way this was going to hold let alone protect my iPod from damage if it happened to fall (which I was sure I could bank on happening).

Nevertheless, I decided to not only give it a try but temporarily welcome it into my lifestyle.

Bells & Whistles

The iSkin DuoBand comes with a silicone protector which slips over the nano which then creates a perfect fit to the outer faceplate and softer armband. This is where my biggest concern was appeased as I was able to feverishly shake the armband around in the air with the nano encased and fitted on the faceplate. The nano didn't even budge let alone slide or fall out. This not only offered a huge sigh of relief, but created a new outlook and belief in the product.

The transparent silicone sleeve also has convenient openings which allow easy access to the head phone jack and connection ports. There were no issues or difficulties connecting any of the necessary components to the openings while the nano was sleeved.

The sleeve also allows for the iPod screen to be fully visible and creates a window for seamless removal from the sleeve when necessary. Fitting and removing the sleeve from the nano posed zero problems and was really easy to do (even with cold fingers!). The silicone sleeve also protects the iPod click wheel from foreign moisture such as water, sweat, or in this case, rain or snow, from seeping in to the iPod itself causing damage to internal mechanisms.

I had no concerns of snow entering any of these important areas if I happened to fall while snowboarding.

The armband is what sets the iSkin DuoBand in a league above the rest. The DuoBand allows for such a wide range of 'arm fits' as the armband pulls from both sides unlike most other armbands which only allow for a one-sided adjustment.

With other armbands I have disliked fitting them on my bicep as I have always found the Velcro easily breaks down over time and gives way with most movements such as bicep curls, jump rope, kettlebell swings, push ups and pull-ups. This causes the arm band to annoyingly skip off completely. As a result, I have developed a habit of wearing armbands on my forearm. However, as this area is more slender, it is also more difficult to find a good, comfortable fit.

The DuoBand however was able to not only fit comfortably on my forearm without incident, but also quickly adjusted to fit over more bulky outerwear like thick sweatshirts and heavy winter jackets. And, it held just as steadfast in these positions as on a bare, slender forearm.

The Test

As mentioned, the iSkin DuoBand became and extension of my body for more than 14 days and endured heavy and long activity. The DuoBand was put through the wringer, literally. After going through the washing machine and retesting elasticity, durability, and Velcro strength; the iSkin DuoBand held up under brutal testing.

From bear crawling on all fours on a moving treadmill, to free running, to kettlebell swings, walking handstands, snowboard jumps, lands (and falls), to being exposed to outdoor adventure running in snow, wind, sleet and hail to gentle stretching during yoga class; the DuoBand never did disappoint.

In fact, the only recommendations I could think of to improve upon this product would be to offer a brighter coloured silicone sleeve in the off chance one took a hard fall while playing in the snow, to make the iPod easier to find. Either that or attach some sort of beacon light!

For anyone who loves being physically active in any capacity, at any level, the iSkin DuoBand will easily accompany you and meet any workout need you may have - hands down and hands free.

And, like an extension of your own body, you may just find you like how the iSkin DuoBand grows on you.

...

For a little added fun, Heather sent me 2 of the workouts she used during the 14 day trial period, along with her playlist. That will be posted on CFB next week, so be certain to check back!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

DOMS Update

2010-02-02T12:24:00.005-05:00

In January 2009 I published a 6 part series on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) courtesy of Matt, The Fitness Nerd.

The conclusion of Matt's research was that the best approach to treating DOMS is to take a multi-faceted, holistic-approach that includes dietary considerations, ice, compression wear and massage.

However, a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study on BounceBack capsules published in the International Society of Sports Nutrition this past June may bring some relief to those suffering from DOMS.

Research methodology:

10 healthy, untrained subjects were enrolled. Subjects were between 18 and 45 years of age (mean 27.73) and their gender was evenly divided (5 men, 5 women).

During the screening visit subjects were assessed for eligibility, given a physcial exam, randomized into the test or placebo group, and given the appropriate investigational product. Subjects received an electronic SenseWear armband (BodyMedia, Pittsburgh, PA) to record activity data. In order to limit the variable impact of diet on plasma markers of inflammation, subjects were given an identical set of frozen foods to consume for each of the 24-hours periods prior to their day 30 exercise visits.

During each arm of this crossover study, subjects took the investigational study product for 30 days before returning for their exercise visit (day 30). After the exercise visit, they returned on days 31, 32 and 33 for additional assessments and blood draws. After completing the day 33 visit, subjects underwent a 2-week washout of the study product before beginning the second arm of the study, which followed an identical timetable.

The eccentric exercise protocol consisted of repeated quadricep squats using a Smith Machine. At the screening visit subjects were asked to complete the maximum number of squats that they could perform in a 5 minute period. This effort was regarded as submaximal and therefore at the 2 subsequent exercise visits, subjects were required to perform twice as many squats as they had performed during the screening visit.

Findings:

No adverse effects were reported during the study.

Participants were assessed for pain, tenerness, inflammation, muscle damage and flexion and extension.

In this present study BounceBack capsules demonstrated significant improvement in subjective pain and tenderness, with no significant improvement in levels of markers of inflammation, muscle damage or muscle flexion.

With a very small sample size, this study is not statistically significant and further research with a larger sample size is warranted. However, based on what appears to be a good safety profile, BounceBack capsules may be worth a try if you are looking for relief from DOMS.

On the downside, relief doesn't come cheap. BounceBack's manufacturer, Mannetech, recommends taking 2 capsules daily. A 30-day supply costs $48.83 plus an additional $5.49 for ground shipping in the continental U.S. I've been unable to locate the product at any retails locations; online ordering appears to be the only option.

I've lived with DOMS for all these years and at that price, it looks like I will continue to do so.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Nicole's Journey: Part 4

2010-02-01T09:28:00.002-05:00

Start date: 12/27/2009
Starting weight: 240 lbs
Current weight: 239 lbs

So after a few really frustrating weeks, I have finally produced a loss again. WOO HOO!

I am back down to 239 which means I had a 3 pound loss last week from going up to 242.

I struggled with the gain and the guilt and stress that I felt as a result. With Susan's help, I have finally found a rhythm with my nutrition and exercise and will continue on this road. I can honestly say that I'm living proof that stress affects the body in ways I didn't anticipate. I was allowing the stress of not losing, work, home, etc. all get the better of me rather than just keeping everything in perspective and allow my exercise to be my release.

Susan suggested that I get a heart rate monitor last weekend, as well, to keep track of my calories burned and see the true effort I'm putting in. That has been really beneficial. I am still on the same exercise schedule pretty much and was shooting for approximately 3500 calories burned through the week. I will say that keeping up with all the numbers feels a bit overwhelming at times, but I am not going to let myself get "lost" in the numbers.

I am convinced I am now on the right track and am going to continue to allow myself to use my exercise time as my release so that I don't let the everyday stress we all have be counter productive in regard to my goal. I WILL DO THIS and I'm back on my way.

Thanks for the support over the past two weeks and look out for more losin' to come!

Nicole

The "Eff" Word ...

2010-01-28T15:04:00.009-05:00

In case you're wondering, "eff" is for "effort" and to those of you who like to moan and groan about how overweight and out of shape you may be, please take a gander at my friend Mike's blog posting today and ask yourself ...

Am I really doing all that I can do?

For my workout today I went back to my circuit with a slight modification since I did these at home. Had to remove the medicine ball chops and replaced those with the addition of adding a Farmer's walk at the end of the workout. I also shortened the length of the rest period between sets:

10 jump squats
20 medicine ball chops
10 push ups
30 bodyweight squats

90 second rest; repeat for a total of 5 sets.

Farmer's walk - 50 lbs.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Keep On Truckin'

2010-01-27T08:01:00.003-05:00

Maybe I'm aging myself, but the phrase "keep on truckin'" was to my childhood what Nike's iconic "just do it" was to the 1980s.

With my health issues giving me a hard time last week I got myself back on track this past Sunday with a pretty fun workout that I feel has really put me on track mentally with pushing my limits.

My circuit went something like this:

- 10 squat jumps
- 20 medicine ball ball chops
- 10 push ups
- 30 bodyweight squats
- 10 medicine ball slams

I took a 2 minute break between sets and completed a total of 5 sets.

Following this workout I hit the incline trainer for 30 minutes.

Best of all, while I was exhausted after the workout I didn't feel the need to spend the remainder of the day in bed. Something I haven't experienced in quite a while.

Monday I took a rest day and Tuesday I went back to the Turbulence Training Hardcore Fat Loss Beginner Workout A.

Another awesome find this weekend was a wonderful review of Catapult Fitness Blog by Mary Ward from the Do You Digg It! Blog Review Team.

Thank you Mary!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Special Notice: Managing Weight After Breast Cancer

2010-01-26T08:46:00.003-05:00

To any women living in the Philadelphia, PA area, join Living Beyond Breast Cancer for their next free networking meeting, Managing Weight After Breast Cancer at the Philadelphia Marriott West in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

Katrina VB. Claghorn, MS, RD, CSO, LDN will discuss dietary and fitness recommendations for women affected by breast cancer, the impact that changes in bone density can have on your body after treatment, ways to manage your weight using different types of exercises and how to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into your regular routine.

This program is free and a light dinner and refreshments are included. Register at lbbc.org or call (610) 645-4567.

Date: February 9, 2010

Time: 6pm - 8pm

Place: Philadelphia Marriott West

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Nicole's Journey: Part 3

2010-01-25T08:12:00.001-05:00

Start date: 12/27/2009
Starting weight: 240 lbs
Current weight: 242 lbs

Hi everyone. I don't have much to share this week. In all honesty, the results have been extremely frustrating but Susan is helping me work through that and shake things up a bit with my caloric intake and exercise in hopes to confuse my body into cooperation!

She has also suggested that I get a heart rate monitor in order to monitor my intensity during workouts to see if there may be room for improvement. I did purchase one and am going to see if it helps. I burned 544 calories in my HIIT session yesterday. Today is my rest day.

I will say that I had no idea what to share as a result of my frustration until a read a post that Heather left on the blog with such encouragement. It was encouragement I honestly needed to hear and am very grateful for. Thank you, Heather.

She mentioned the book "The Last Lecture" by Professor Randy Pausch and a reference he made about "romancing the brick wall" and how we encounter them on any journey for a reason. They allow us to understand how badly we want something and how much it's worth the hard work. I have been struggling with my own brick wall(s) in getting my body to respond the way I want it to.

I think that maybe stress has been my brick wall thus far. I don't know. I don't want to excuse away the fact that I have not lost any additional weight and that my body weight seems to be swinging in a not so favorable way. I just know that I will find what allows my body to respond with Susan's help and learn to accept that I may not like what the scale says.

I'm going to take my frustration and do my best to channel it into something I can use. I will continue to follow the advice given, work hard with the Turbulence Training workouts at home and add in the HIIT exercise sessions as well. I WILL DO THIS as Craig with Turbulence Training says.

By saying I will "try" gives me a loop hole, an out so to speak. I don't want loop holes, I want results by way of self satisfying, good old fashioned healthy hard work. I will do this...I will do this......Say it with me, I WILL DO THIS!

Have a great week, everyone and I will have better results to share with you next week, I'm sure of it!

Nicole.

Do This, Not That

2010-01-22T10:51:00.000-05:00

Do This: Start each workout session with a plan that clearly outlines what exercises you will be performing, what the goal is for each exercise, and how long your workout will take.

Not That: Go to the gym and wander from machine to machine for 60 minutes.

This particular blog posting really hits close to home because before I started using Turbulence Training workouts, I fell in to the "not that" category. I literally spent countless hours at the gym each week yet could not get my weight to budge from 138 lbs.

Once I had a plan in place, change happened.

Step 1: Determine what goal you are trying to achieve. Are you looking to increase your 1 rep max, train for your first marathon, lose 20 lbs, or lower your body fat to 10%? Without having a concise goal in place you are setting yourself up for failure.

You also need to make sure that your goals are not conflicting. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard someone say that they wanted to gain muscle while getting lean.

If you're new to strength training (or returning from an extended layoff) or are significantly overweight, this is possible. However, once you attain a certain level of leanness and/or muscle mass, your ability to gain muscle while getting lean is significantly reduced.

Pick one goal, achieve it and then move on to the next.

Step 2: Choose a plan that is designed to help you achieve your goal. For me it was Turbulence Training. For you it may be Jillian Michaels Shred, a 5x5 hypertrophy program or another modality.

Whatever program you choose, stick with it so that you can determine whether or not it is actually working for you.

Step 3: Stay focused. There is ALOT of conflicting information available via magazines and the internet - some credible, some not so much. Do not become sidetracked by some other workout that you read about in a magazine, on a message board forum, or infomercial.

Stick with your chosen program for 3 - 4 weeks and closely monitor your progress. Only then can you assess whether or not your plan is working.

When you do make changes to your plan, base those decisions on empirical evidence.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Mayor Bloomberg's War On Sodium

2010-01-20T09:56:00.000-05:00

Last week, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Health Commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, announced a campaign to cut the quantities of sodium in packaged and restaurant foods by 25% over the next five years.

This is a highly aggressive goal and is modeled on a program enacted in the United Kingdom to lower sodium in 85 food categories. The UK initiative resulted in a 9 percent drop in sodium consumption over nine years.

This voluntary program already has some major food manufacturer's on board including Kraft and Pepsico. Pepsico has committed to reducing the salt in Lay's potato chips by 25% over the next 18 months (taking a 1 oz serving from 180 mg to 135 mg of sodium).

Most importantly, since this initiative includes packaged foods, this program does not simply impact NYers, but rather the entire nation.

No big surprise, the Salt industry is lashing out claiming "There's a certain arrogance when the New York City Health Department is setting policy for the rest of the country," said Salt Institute spokeswoman Lisa Roman. "These are decisions that should be made personally."

Ms. Roman seems to be sticking her foot in her mouth. With 75 - 80% of a typical person's daily sodium intake coming from processed and restaurant foods, it seems that this initiative DOES just that -- allows people to make a decision on just how much salt they want in their food.

You want more salt? Grab a shaker and feel free to choose hypertension (or in my case, a vertigo attack).

Today, that decision simply doesn't exist.

I applaud this campaign and the food manufacturers' and restaurants willing to make this commitment.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Nicole's Journey: Part 2

2010-01-18T09:47:00.004-05:00

Start date: 12/27/2009
Starting weight: 240 lbs
Current weight: 235 lbs

Hi everyone.

This is just a quick update to let you know how my week has gone.

I have not struggled as much to get my calories in this week, but I did have a little difficulty with a sweet tooth earlier in the week. Susan suggested I try a sweet potato since I was lacking in carbs and that seemed to help greatly!

I did manage to have my first meal at a restaurant since beginning this journey and did well since I planned for it. I was able to choose baked salmon and a double helping of veggies. I left the meal feeling good about my choices and not over indulgent. I felt really satisfied and not at all deprived.

My workouts have gone well. I'm really happy with the Turbulence Training workouts as they allow for a busy mom like myself to get in a full workout with little disruption to my other responsibilities and time with my daughter.

My workout schedule this week did not deviate greatly from last week with the exception of adding a second rest day, per Susan's advice. Here's a peek:

As for the weight loss, I struggled some here and was somewhat frustrated when I weighed in on Friday. According to the scale, I didn't lose any weight this week.

At the beginning of the week I had been experiencing water retention and my weight was fluctuating about 5 lbs (upwards!) as a result. By Friday I managed to get that under control and back down to 235, but that's where I was last week so I was definitely a little frustrated.

Even though, I'm not going to let this derail my work nor am I going to give up on my journey. I'll keep plugging away at this - eating clean and working out hard.

If at the end of this week I still have not lost any weight, Susan mentioned shaking things up. She has also advised me not to be "ruled" by the scale and rather to focus on smaller victories and the consistency with my workouts and nutrition.

Again, the comments and support I received from everyone has been so wonderful and encouraging. Thanks again. I hope everyone has a great week!

Nicole

Working Out In A Topsy-Turvy World

2010-01-16T11:12:00.003-05:00

Slacked this week on posting my workouts on CFB, but happy to say that at least I didn't slack on the workouts. I was really pleased to have completed my second full week on a planned exercise regime. It's been 8 months since I've been able to do this, so it's a long time coming!

Decided to work on the incline trainer yesterday but lost my head and started to run intervals a good week before I planned on giving that another try.

The HIIT intervals definitely taxed my vestibular system and ended up needing all of last night to re-coup, but at some level it was worth it. I was sprinting all out and it was nice to see that I could do that and not go in to a full vertigo attack (hence the Topsy-turvy comment).

So, this week panned out as follows:

Sunday: Light cardio
Monday: Turbulence Training Hardcore Fat Loss Beginner Workout B
Tuesday: Core
Wednesday: Turbulence Training Hardcore Fat Loss Beginner Workout A
Thursday: Light cardio and Core
Friday: HIIT
Saturday: Turbulence Training Hardcore Fat Loss Beginner Workout B

Two more weeks on the current Turbulence Training program and then I hope to move on to a more aggressive workout.

My reason for posting these updates is two-fold

It does help to keep me accountable. It's difficult to get thru any given day without experiencing symptoms of the Meniere's disease. I can let those symptoms render me incapable of exercise or I can take advantage of the times I'm feeling well to keep myself moving. I choose the later.
There may be someone reading this who feels that they are unable to exercise for one reason or another. I hope by reading my postings that they realize that they can always do SOMETHING. Get outside and take a walk, turn on Exercise TV and follow along with a yoga or Pilates workout or start with simple bodyweight exercises. Most importantly, start today!

Remember, the journey to better health starts one step at a time!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet

2010-01-14T08:57:00.000-05:00

If you've turned on your television lately you have likely seen the Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet commercial. If not, here you go:

Christine lost 54 lbs by "Replacing my usual fast food with Taco Bell's Drive Thru diet." Apparently Christine needed this solution because in her words, "I didn't want to cut out my fast food."

I decided to check out the Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet Menu website and see what goodies were available. Unfortunately, the "diet" menu choices are high in fat and loaded with sodium.

A couple of examples include the Fresco Burrito Chicken Supreme which has tons of unhealthy fat (21%) and a whopping 1,140 mg of sodium. The lower calorie Fresco Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco (130 calories) had an even a higher percentage of fat (27%) and 740 mg of sodium.

I would really like to have said bravo Taco Bell, but the fact is that these items have been on their menu for years. The only change is that Taco Bell is now making them available through their drive-thru window.

The reality is that Christine lost 54 lbs over 2 years because she counted her calories. Yes, you can eat junk, um I mean fast food and lose weight.

From an advertising perspective, it was a genius move to launch this campaign around New Years when everyone is trying to stick to their resolution to lose weight. Over 70% of Taco Bell's business comes from Drive-Thru, so it will be interesting to see how this impacts their Q1 revenues.

As a side note, Taco Bell's last big advertising campaign was FourthMeal, where they encouraged consumers to grab Taco Bell late night, before heading off to bed.

What's your opinion on the Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet campaign? Is this a small step in the right direction or irresponsible advertising?

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Do This, Not That

2010-01-13T08:42:00.000-05:00

Do This: Compound exercises
Not That: Isolation exercises

If your primary goal is weight and fat loss, your time would be much better spent focusing on compound exercises versus isolation exercises.

Let's start by defining each type of movement.

Compound exercises are multi-joint exercises that involve more than one muscle group. Examples of compound exercises are squats, deadlifts and pull-ups.

Isolation exercises are exercises that focus on one muscle group. Examples of isolation exercises are bicep curls, leg extensions and tricep kick-backs.

So, why focus on compound exercises? There are 3 distinct benefits:

1) Because compound movements stimulate more muscle fibers, they provide you with a better bang for the buck, lessening the length of your workout,

2) Due to the fact that you are incorporating more muscle groups to lift the weight, you are going to expend more energy. This translates in to burning more calories than you would burn doing isolation exercises and,

3) I don't want to scare off the gals but yet another benefit to compound lifts is that the extra load (you can lift heavier weight since you are incorporating more muscle groups) increases lactic acid production which helps boost the powerful fat loss and muscle building hormone, Growth Hormone (GH) in the body. No ladies, this doesn't mean you are going to bulk up and look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Bottom line, you are going to see weight and fat loss results quicker by incorporating compound exercises into your workout routine. Ultimately, isn't that everyone's goal?

Some of my favorite compound exercises include:

Squat variations
Lunge variations
Deadlifts
Bench Press
Push-Up variations
Bent Over Rows
Pull-Ups (assisted is ok)
Overhead Presses

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Nicole's Journey: Week 2

2010-01-11T11:05:00.001-05:00

Nicole has just finished her 2nd full week in the Turbulence Training Transformation contest.

Start date: 12/27/2009
Starting weight: 240 lbs
Current weight: 235 lbs

Here's her update!

So, this week I struggled to get all my calories in. It was so easy to consume 1700 calories when I was eating junk food. Now that I'm eating 1700 calories/day of good, "clean" food it sometimes feels that I'm eating non-stop.

I can honestly say that I am never hungry. I've been very satisfied and have not struggled too badly with cravings. I did want something sweet last night and ended up having half a grapefruit and that seemed to suffice.

I am really enjoying the Turbulence Training workouts. I had been doing the Intermediate Level Turbulence Training for Women workout but moved to the Advanced version on January 6.

Here's a peek at what my exercise program looked like this past week:

My legs have been especially sore, but sore in a good way. I know my body is responding and it has really felt good. I love the Turbulence Training workouts. They enable me to fit in a great workout into my already hectic schedule.

I have already seen a loss of 5 lbs, but more importantly I feel good. I haven't felt bloated with the exception of a day where I accidentally ended up with a little too much sodium in my diet. Susan helped me over that hurdle.

I'm hopeful that I am on the right track with this journey and to better health. I'm feeling good about it.

Also, thanks for all the kind comments and encouragement!! It really does make a difference.

Nicole

Blog Upgrade

2010-01-10T20:06:00.006-05:00

One of my personal goals in 2010 is to continue to upgrade Catapult Fitnesss Blog's (CFB) functionality.

I have received several request from readers in regards to adding "print" functionality so that they can easily print out workouts and recipes included on CFB.

That functionality has just been added!

At the end of each article you will see the following button:

Click on that button and a pop-up will appear that enables you to print the posting directly to your printer, create a PDF file, email or tweet the blog posting.

It's super simple and free courtesy of PrintFriendly (you do not need to register to use this service)!

If you have any other functionality you would like to see added to CFB email your suggestions to AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com

Susan

Jump For Health

2010-01-08T12:18:00.002-05:00

Personally, I've always been a bit on the uncoordinated side when it comes to jumping rope, but based on the stats I've been reading I may have to spend more time working on my skills.

According to Dr. Kenneth Cooper, author of the 1968 best selling book Aerobics, and the man given the title "The Father of Aerobics", jumping a rope at 120 turns per minute produces the same cardiovascular results as jogging for 30 minutes, running 1 mile in 12 minutes, cycling 2 miles in 6 minutes or swimming for 12 minutes.

So, for those of you who claim not to have time to exercise, can you spare 1 minute per day?

My workout Wednesday didn't take all that much longer.

Still recovering from my HIIT protocol from Monday I decided to do a split routine with the TT Beginner strength training program on Wednesday and light cardio with additional core exercises yesterday.

I modified the TT Beginner Workout B by replacing step-ups (not the best exercise for anyone with a vestibular disorder) with jump squats.

It's now official - jump squats are my most dreaded exercise. Guess that means they must be good for me! The more I hate doing something, the better the results I see from doing it. Go figure.

Total workout time on Wednesday: 22 minutes.

Today it's back to Workout A with 45 minutes of slow cardio.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

What Happens When You Educate Consumers On Nutrition?

2010-01-07T11:30:00.007-05:00

They make better food choices!

It has been about a year and a half since food chains in New York have been required to make calorie information available for all standardized menu items.

The health-care reform bill that President Obama hopes to sign in to law in the near future contains a menu labeling provision that will require all chain restaurants with 20 or more locations to post calorie information in menu's and on menu boards. The provision will also require restaurants to provide additional information upon request, although I have not been able to pinpoint what specifics will be made available. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that sodium content is included.

While restaurants have fought long and hard against such government regulation, it seems that ultimately this provision can be a win-win situation for both consumers and food chains.

A study out of Stanford University entitled Calorie Posting In Chain Restaurants measured the impact the NY State law had on consumers' Starbucks purchases.

Research methodology:

Starbucks agreed to provide transaction details for Starbucks stores in NYC from January 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009, with mandatory calorie posting commencing on April 1, 2008. To control other factors affecting transactions, the study also observed every transaction at Starbucks stores in Boston and Philadelphia, where there are no calorie postings.

Findings:

When calorie information was available to consumers, the average calories per transaction fell by 6%. The effect was almost entirely related to changes in consumers' food choices - there was almost no change in purchases of beverage calories. There was no impact on Starbucks profit on average.

The study also estimated that revenue actually increased by 3% at Starbucks stores located within 100 meters of a Dunkin Donuts (an important competitor to Starbucks in NYC). Hence, there is evidence that calorie posting may have caused some consumers to move away from Dunkin Donuts toward Starbucks. The fact that Starbucks profitability is unaffected by calorie posting is consistent with the finding that consumers' beverage choices are unchanged, which is of course Starbucks core business.

According to an article this week in The Washington Post, next week Starbucks will introduce 4 sandwiches with 400 calories or less. Of more interest is the fact that all Starbucks locations will launch a campaign to promote beverages under 90 calories. This is a welcome addition to the current beverage line-up which includes "light" frappucino's with as many as 210 calories per 16 oz serving, and regular frapp's edging up to the 500 calorie range per 16 oz serving.

The Stanford study brings to light the fact that consumers are truly interested in making healthier food choices.

Need more proof? Fitness portal DailyBurn.com released the FoodScanner iPhone App in September 2009 and it has already generated in excess of 30,000 downloads.

The FoodScanner allows you to use your iPone camera to scan UPC barcodes and using DailyBurn's nutritional database, track how many calories you eat throughout the day.

These are strong indicators that the public has a need and desire to be educated. One can only hope that the government will eventually amend the soon-to-be-law to include a real investment in public education to teach people to prevent disease through nutrition.

Education is key and consumers are clamoring for it.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Michael Pollan On Health-Care Reform

2010-01-06T09:30:00.004-05:00

Author Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food, and The Omnivore's Dilemma) sat down with John Stewart this week and made some interesting points in regards to how health-care reform could change the food industry.

If the government mandates that everyone must have access to health care, the insurance industry could take a bigger interest in what we actually eat.

You know from my previous postings on CFB that I'm open to the government getting more involved in an effort to thwart the current obesity epidemic in the United States. I know that many of you feel differently.

Let the discussion begin!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

My Journey Starts Anew

2010-01-05T08:50:00.002-05:00

After a 7+ month layoff from regular training due to illness, I'm ready to get back to work.

With the realization that I have lost all the gains I made previously in regards to muscle mass and neural training adaptions, I'm coming to grips with the fact that I am once again a "newbie". It's frustrating to know that I'm back at square one, but stuff happens and you just need to deal with it and move on.

What I'm also learning to accept is that as a result of my vestibular disorder there are certain exercises that I will simply need to forgo, at least for now. For instance, step ups on to my 18 1/2 inch bench is just an accident waiting to happen. Hopefully I will be able to re-introduce these exercises back in to my program as time progresses.

Balance issues aside, I also want to make sure to proceed in a manner which will minimize my chance of injury. So, after much contemplation I decided to start my new journey with the Turbulence Training Beginner Workout.

Trust me, this was NOT an easy decision to make. My heart was telling me to go for it and throw myself in to Craig's 2K10 Fat Loss Workout, but I know that taking a few weeks to ease back in to a regular program is the logical progression to minimize the risk of injury.

I completed Workout A yesterday followed by a HIIT session on my exercise bike. HIIT may need to be on hold for a while longer, as that effort did set off some symptoms, but overall it felt great to be back working out!

While I am still getting used to some of the limitations that I have, I'm hopeful that pushing the envelope will enable the healthy part of my vestibular system to compensate for any weaknesses.

My plan is to do the TT Beginner Workout for 4-weeks to re-acclimate my my body to a regular exercise routine. My workout schedule will be as follows:

Monday: TT Beginner Workout A/HIIT (I'll re-attempt HIIT in a couple of weeks)
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: TT Beginner Workout B/Light cardio
Thursday: Rest
Friday: TT Beginner Workout A/Light cardio
Saturday: Light cardio
Sunday: Rest

I'm hopeful that one month will be enough time for my body to re-adapt after which I will take another look at tackling the 2K10 Fatt Loss Workout! If all goes well month 1 I also plan on re-incorporating Spin classes back in to my schedule come late February/early March.

So, what's your plan for this month? Remember, having a firm plan in place is the only way to achieve your fitness goals!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Nicole's Journey: Part 1

2010-01-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

With a full time job, an energetic 7 year old daughter and an active social life, Nicole is one busy gal.

A health set-back in 2009 has made it increasingly difficult to lose weight, so when Nicole saw my birthday challenge a few weeks ago she made the decision to enter the 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Challenge and change her life in 2010.

Nicole will share her experiences with CFB readers over the next 3-months and I hope you will all cheer her on along the way!

In today's posting you'll learn more about Nicole and what has led her on this journey.

Question: Nicole, can you tell CFB readers a bit about yourself and why you decided to take the plunge and join the 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest? Did you have a specific reason for deciding now is the time you want to lose weight?

Answer: In addition to a full time job I am a busy 34 year old single mother of an even busier 7 year old little girl. By the time I get off work, commute home, help my daughter with homework, play with her and our mini-dachshund, make dinner and do a little housework, I'm exhausted and ready for bed.

I also have a boyfriend with 2 children that we spend as much time with as possible. On the weekend its time with the kids, family and friends. The first thing to suffer when I am lacking time is exercise.

Unfortunately, as busy women I think we sometimes sacrifice our own needs to try and fulfill the needs of those we love. I have learned that by doing that I cannot give 100% of myself to anything as I lack the health and energy it takes to give my all.

I hope that by taking better care of myself and putting my own health and fitness at the top of my "to-do" list, that I will be a better mother, girlfriend, employee, friend and all around happier person, with more energy to devote to those I love.

I have been struggling with weight loss, especially over the past year when I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and had to undergo two surgeries.

Prior to my diagnosis I exercised regularly and while my nutrition wasn't perfect, it was pretty good. Recovering from the operations and battling with the symptoms of Crohn's disease including severe arthritis and vitamin and mineral deficiencies, I have had a difficult time getting my nutrition back on track, which is now more magnified due to the Crohn's disease.

I read your post looking for someone to enter the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest and share the process via your blog and thought that it was just what I needed to keep me accountable. I felt as though a door opened showing me that I can still do this but need to pull all the facets together to achieve the results that have eluded me to this point.

Question: Has your weight always been an issue?

Answer: Yes, my weight has been an ongoing struggle for me. Prior to March 2009, while I wasn't where I wanted to be, I was happy with the direction in which I was heading. Since my diagnosis I have taken a step backwards. I know I need to put all the pieces in place - exercise and diet - to achieve my desired results.

Question: Being that your weight has been an ongoing issue, I'm assuming you have tried other weight loss/exercise programs in the past. Yes?

Answer: Goodness Y-E-S!!! Yes, I have. I think I've tried everything I could find out there - Weight Watchers, The South Beach Diet, Atkins. I've been to Curves, tried fat burners, diet pills - anything that boasted any sort of result. Everything worked for a time but eventually I would gain the weight back plus a few extra pounds for good measure.

In retrospect I believe the problem was that I was searching for a quick fix and not truly focusing on my long term health.

Question: What will be most challenging for you in regards to weight loss - changing the way you eat, following a workout program or a combination of the two?

Answer: I think the most challenging part for me will be learning to stay away from foods that will not help me to achieve my goals and working exercise in to my already hectic schedule.

Basically, pulling all the pieces together to create healthy habits for a lifetime.

I enjoy exercising and feeling strong, but I have learned that when I don't watch my nutrition I am canceling out all my hard work and sabotaging my efforts.

Question: The TT Transformation Contest is a great way to kick off a healthy 2010! What are your overall transformation goals? Do you have a specific target weight or body fat percentage goal that you are looking to achieve?

Answer: My short term goal is to create those healthy habits I referred to. Consistency in both my diet and exercise program are key as my long term goal is to lose an additional 80 lbs.

When I began this journey several years ago I weighed 331 lbs. Today I weigh 240 lbs.

I have watched my weight fluctuate over the years and while I'm not as heavy as I was at 331 lbs, I am still FAR too heavy and unhealthy. I know that I can achieve amazing results if I am willing to put fourth the effort by utilizing the Turbulence Training workouts while learning healthy eating habits.

My ultimate weight goal is 160 lbs. We will see how far I get in these first 12 weeks!

Another goal I have is to be a role model to those in my life; showing them what one can achieve in regards to health and fitness if they go about it in the right way rather than taking unhealthy shortcuts. I want to show my daughter and family that it can be fun and rewarding to take the time to take care of oneself.

Question: Which Turbulence Training program will you be starting out with?

Answer: I am beginning with the Intermediate Level Turbulence Training for Women.

At the time this blog posting will appear, Nicole will be well on her way to transforming her body! She officially entered the 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest on 12/27/2009. Nicole's starting weight at the time of entry was 240 lbs.

Stay tuned for updates from Nicole!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Achoo!

2010-01-02T13:33:00.025-05:00

Like many folks I know, I'm kicking off 2010 with a cold so I decided to use this opportunity to concoct a healthy, cold-fighting meal.

Of course, the best cold medicine is Mom's chicken soup, but my Mom lives 1000 miles away and being that I'm on a sodium restricted diet, chicken soup sans salt tastes kind of blah.

Yesterday I decided to go the Chinese Hot Pot route and include lots of health promoting ingredients!

Ginger - Ginger is one of those super-foods that provide a multitude of benefits across a variety of ailments from upset stomach to arthritis. It also happens to be a natural decongestant as well as an antihistamine, making it the perfect remedy for colds!

Garlic - The sulfur compound allicin is responsible for garlic's unique odor, and has been shown to be effective in fighting common infections like colds and flu.

Scallion - Scallions, like other members of the onion family, have several anti-inflammatory agents that render them helpful in reducing the severity of symptoms associated with respiratory congestion.

Cabbage - My cabbage of choice in this instance was baby bok choy. Cabbage is loaded with Vitamin C and as we all know, you can never have enough V-C when battling the sniffles!

Shitake Mushrooms - Shitake mushrooms contain lentinan, a compound that has been shown to fire up the immune system.

Chili Peppers - Nothing opens up the nasal passages like some good hot chili peppers. The capsaicin in chili's act as a decongestant for upper respiratory symptoms.

Susan's Cold-Fighting Soup

3 cups Imagine Organic Low Sodium, Free Range Chicken Broth
4 scallions, sliced
3 long slices of ginger (for flavoring the broth)
8 baby bok choy, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 shitake mushrooms, halved
8 large shrimp, cleaned and tail removed
Black pepper, to taste
Red chili pepper flakes, to taste

Combine first 6 ingredients and let simmer on stove for 15 - 20 minutes. The ginger and garlic will help flavor the broth. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, approximately 5 minutes.

Dipping Sauce

1 Tbsp House Of Tsang Less Sodium Soy Sauce (the lowest sodium soy sauce I've found)
1/4 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp fresh ground chili paste

Serves 2

I use chopsticks to grab the shrimp and mushrooms out of the broth to dip in the spicy sauce, and eat the rest with a spoon. I kept the broth simmering on the stove top and revisited it throughout the afternoon. It did a pretty good job keeping my congestion under control and to make the dish more filling, I mixed in a little brown rice later in the afternoon.

Nutritional information, per serving (not including the brown rice): 163 calories; 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat); 24 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 340 mg sodium

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan